statement of purpose

potm - 2008.06_chug

2008-06-15T13:37:00.000-05:00

Outside of my trip to Colorado with Ryan, Clint and Matt I didn't listen to a very wide range of stuff this month. The first four tracks of this month's playlist were inspired by the documentary Dig!. I saw this movie for the first time and it is downright awesome. The music rocks and nothing is crazier than seeing a band melt down on stage and begin to fight each other. The Kool Keith track came up on my iPod shuffle three separate times and therefore must be included. The remaining songs on the list are more about the bands or the album. No specific tracks are sticking out as being especially memorable so instead I just selected 1 or 2 represenative examples.

Godless
The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia

Boys Better
The Dandy Warhols - Come Down

Who?
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Take It From The Man

Just For Today
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bravery, Repetition And Noise

Fancy
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones

Recovering The Satellites
Counting Crows - Recovering The Satellites

Have You Seen Me Lately?
Counting Crows - Recovering The Satellites

Sick Sad Little World
Incubus - A Crow Left Of The Murder

A Kiss To Send Us Off
Incubus - Light Grenades

Get OFf My Elevator
Kool Keith - Office Space Soundtrack

potm - 2008.05_chug

2008-05-15T13:24:00.000-05:00

This month's playlist is heavy on two particular bands. Nine Inch Nails various albums rotated 5 at a time through the disc changer, enjoying a little shuffle. While I have always loved Hum I feel like I finally "discovered" their album Electra 2000 as it spent much of the month in my car CD player. The other tracks in this playlist are composed of some of those random iPod shuffle songs that grab me while jogging and just make an impression.

My Wave
Soundgarden - Superunknown

God Given
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero

Gasoline Soaked Heart
Glossary - The Better Angels of Our Nature

Iron Clad Lou
Hum - Electra 2000

My Violent Heart
Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero

Home (Live)
Dream Theater - Through Her Eyes

Scraper
Hum - Electra 2000

Winder
Hum - Electra 2000

Second Sight
Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts

Reptile
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral

Dark Side of the Moon

2008-05-03T13:26:00.006-05:00

Rhino and I attended the Roger Waters 2008 Dark Side of the Moon concert last night and I think we both agree that it was arguably the best concert experience either of us have had. At the very least it is top 2 or 3.

There is a giant pig flying over Dallas. Seriously.

The inflatable pig prop that is floated above the crowd during the concert was attacked by some of the grass sitters and the next thing you know the strings were cut and the pig was beginning a journey over the Dallas sky. The second video shows the crowd attacking.

potm - 2008.04_chug

2008-04-05T14:34:00.006-05:00

In all honesty, I spent more time this past month listening to talk radio podcasts than I did music. However, I did listen to enough tunes - beyond last month's lists - to pull something together. That being said I also have 11 tracks, rather than ten. Why? Well, because the one item that got the most listening to this past month was the Kings Of Leon CD. I could have listed the entire CD, and nothing else, but I didn't. Instead I listed 4 tracks and I was quite difficult to pick which four, well except for one (see below).

What Sound
Lam - What Sound

After RDA listed all those electronic tracks the past two months I spent a little time looking at my own electronic selection. This tune grabbed my attention.

Green To Me
Hum - Downward Is Heavenward

Yes, another Hum tune this month. This one however is quite a bit more upbeat and rockin' than last month. THe other side of Hum if you will.

Acrid Avid Jam Shred
Aphex Twin - I Care Because You Do

This electronic track is one of my favorite from back in the day. Aphex Twin will always be my favorite electronic artist and this song really just brings me back.

Knocked Up
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times

I have listened to this track maybe 25 times this month. It is haunting me like no song since "Lazy Eye" by Silversun Pickups. This song sets the table for a great album. A. GREAT. ALBUM.

Charmer
Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times

True Love Way
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times

Trunk
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times

0.3
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia

Voices
Saosin - Saosin

Letter To Myself
Mad At Gravity - Resonance

Flaming Heart
Meat Puppets - Too High To Die

RDA potm: April 2008

2008-04-03T13:15:00.003-05:00

Pushin' Forward Back: Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog; I was encouraging my daughter to push a ball across the floor and, for some reason, this got stuck in my head for a few days.
The Fad: Chevelle - Antisaint; Greg's selection last month got me to listen to the album again.
Feathers: Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 2: No World For Tomorrow; Not my favorite song on the album but the chorus gets in my head.
Acid Rain: Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2; Came up in shuffle - one of the better tracks from LTE of either album.
See Emily Play: Pink Floyd - Relics; I have no idea why - but this song got in my head while mowing the yard. It's not my particular style - but I can see genius here. Much like how I see genius with the Beatles later stuff. Interesting song.
Geek USA: Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream; I have been listening to this album all month and this song is just what I fixated on. Great album.
Unemployable: Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam; I think the story format of Eddie's lyrics are brilliant as always. Great deep cut from PJ.
Dark Star: Beck - The Information; Groovin bass backbone to this tune.
Villains: The Verve Pipe - Villains; Ahh - it's spring and I can smell the rain. That defines this album.
Fireal: Deftones - Adrenaline; In the early days - Deftones had a lot more "alt metal". The riff that repeats for the last half of the song is that sound. Awesome riff - definately of of my favorite Deftones songs.

potm - 2008.03_chug

2008-03-11T17:42:00.002-05:00

The End Complete III: The End Complete
Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 2: No World For Tomorrow

Appollo
Hum - Downward Is Heavenward

Antisaint
Chevelle - Vena Sera

Around The Fur
Deftones - Around The Fur

Corduroy
Pearl Jam – Vitalogy

Dancing Shoes
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Only Time Will Tell
Glossary - The Better Angels Of Our Nature

Death Of It All
Rob Zombie - Educated Horses

Meanwhile, Rick James...
Cake - Comfort Eagle

Burn
The Toadies - Rubberneck

potm - 2008.02_chug

2008-03-11T17:28:00.006-05:00

Miss Murder
A.F.I. - DECEMBERUNDERGROUND

The song is very anthem like. I can picture a large group on concert goers really getting into this one.

Plasticities
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

Armcharis
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

SludgeFeast
Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me

I listened to this entire album for the first time today just to pick out a song for you to focus on. The album is a little redundant in its redundancy, but this song did stick out from the others.

Lyric
Zwan - Mary Star Of The Sea

Carpe
Russian Circles - enter

Available on their website.

Death Rides A Horse
Russian Circles - enter

Available on their website.

Burn The Witch
Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze

How Do You Keep Love Alive
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses [Disc 1]

The more I listen to Ryan Adams the more I like him. Seriously this guy can fucking write/play.

All I Need
Radiohead - In Rainbows

introducing... potm

2008-03-11T16:55:00.004-05:00

Well the CD of the month "club" died out quite awhile ago. In its place we introduce (at rhino's suggestion) the Playlist of the Month project or "potm" for short. The idea is simply to capture those tunes that have been burning through the speakers the previous month in a 10 track playlist. That's it. Feel free to comment on some of the tracks or provide your own list.

Song List: Best of the 90's

2006-06-26T08:23:00.000-05:00

I was going through my music on my iPod and I realized that I have a fairly well rounded group of rock artists from my era. So, naturally, I decided to put together a playlist to reflect this era. This is not a collection of my favorite hits, this is more of a "Rock view" of the 90's, I.E. - this collection of songs should properly "culture" someone who missed the 90's - from a rock perspective.

What I need is to fill the holes. Right now I have limited each band to one, and only one song. But I have only included artists I already own - so I need suggestions to round out the list. I also want to know if you disagree with a selection or if you think there is a better song from a particular artist. Here is the list so far: (band on left, song on right - in no particular order)

Alice in Chains - Would?
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
Bush - Everything Zen
Cake - The Distance
Corrosion of Conformity - Clean My Wounds
Days of the New - Touch, Peel, And Stand
Hum - Stars
Korn - Blind
Live - Lightning Crashes
Local H - Bound for the Floor
Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Nine Inch Nails - Closer
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Oasis - Wonderwall
Pearl Jam - Jeremy
The Prodigy - Poison
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
Seven Mary Three - Cumbersome
Silverchair - Tomorrow
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
Stabbing Westward - What Do I Have to Do?
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike
The Toadies - Possum Kingdom
Tom Petty - Mary Jane's Last Dance
Tool - Sober
Tori Amos - Precious Things
Tripping Daisy - I Got a Girl
The Verve Pipe - The Freshman
Weezer - Undone (The Sweater Song)
White Zombie - Thunder Kiss '65
Beck - Loser
Pantera - Walk
REM - Man on the Moon
Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
Green Jelly - Three Little Pigs
Radiohead - Creep
No Doubt - Just a Girl
Dave Matthews Band - So Much to Say

New Music: David Gilmour - On An Island

2006-05-26T16:26:00.000-05:00

Its no mystery why David Gilmour keeps refusing a full tour reunion with Roger Waters. He's worked too hard on his latest release On an Island. He wants to tour with this new material. I can't blame him - the new music is pretty good.

The album contains many songs in a 3/4 time signature. Mix that with Gilmour's beautiful guitar vibrato (almost like it was a violin) and you get a relaxing waltz of music bliss.

It all starts with the instrumental mood-piece Castellorizon, full of dissonant minor chords and phrasing elongated guitar cries. And then one-two-three, two-two-three, three-two-three, the title track begins. On An Island is reminiscent of floyd during Meddle or Obscured by the Clouds. Very straight spacey vocals and a swaying sleepy waltz rhythm. This same feel continues to the next track, The Blue.

Its these three tracks back to back where I can picture myself in my bedroom during my high school years with the black light on, incense burning, and furiously scribbling poetry all through the night.

Take a Breath really changes the pace. It is the edgier more contemporary Pink Floyd sound - perhaps Division Bell and Momentary Lapse of Reason mixed. Red Sky at Night - feels much like the title. Its an instrumental with a very sexy low saxophone - and romantic chords with guitar hardly making an appearance. This is really the only "rock" beat on the album.

This Heaven is just a classic Gilmore playing the blues. Very traditional guitar blues formulation, I can see this being performed by the local cover band in a sit-down uptown club.

Then I Close My Eyes actually makes me want to close my eyes. Its an instrumental without much substance - like something you'd play over and over to helps the kids fall asleep. Perhaps this was the meaning - because the next song, Smile, is a lullaby - and by now you'd have to be asleep if you listen to this at night in the dark.

A Pocketful Of Stones is another contemporary Floyd type of song. Unresolved chords in the chorus provide a feeling of mystery and really some non-emphasized brilliant guitar soloing.

Appropriately, the album ends with yet another 3/4 time signature. Where We Start is really an interesting title for the last track I think. It captures the essence of the first three tracks.

Overall, its a pretty good album to relax with. Something to listen to at work or while reading, not recommended for driving or poker.

Score: 8 out of 10.

The "Apex" Album Syndrome vs. "You'll Never Get as High as the First Time"

2006-05-03T14:08:00.000-05:00

Every band has one of two paths to follow...

The recent Pearl Jam and Tool records to come out have brought to my attention a thought (which I can only assume has been living in my subconscious since the beginning, and only now has it had a vehicle in which to manifest itself).

The Thought:

By in large (as there is always an exception), every band has one of two paths to follow (three albums minimum to qualify).

1) The Apex Path: A band a certain "essence" in terms of sound in the beginning and over time it develops a different "essence" (good or bad). Two completely different sounds. The album that the conversion of the "essence" takes place - is the band's best album (at least commercially). The album directly before and directly after represents the two completely different sounds - but album in question has both. This is the most common path.; Examples: Metallica (Black Album), Tool (Aenima), Soundgarden (Superunknown), Pink Floyd (DSOTM), Radiohead (OK Computer), Smashing Pumpkins (Siamese Dreams - keep in mind Pisces Iscariot was written at the same time), Incubus (Make Yourself), Marilyn Manson (Antichrist Superstar), Ministry (Filth Pig), Nirvana (Nevermind), Nine Inch Nails (The Downward Spiral),STP (Purple) I am sure I can go on and on.
2) The 'As Good As It Gets the First Time' Path: Just like it sounds. A band hits the high watermark the first time, right out of the shoot, and it never gets any better. Not to say its not good, its just that it never is AS good.; Examples: The Doors (The Doors), Pearl Jam (Ten), The Verve Pipe (Villains - their first FULL album), RATM (RATM), Silverchair (Frogstomp), Bush (Sixteen Stone), Weezer (Weezer), Van Halen (Van Halen), Deftones (Adrenaline)

I am not sure what kind of meaningful conclusion this draws other than helping yourself set expectation levels for upcoming albums.

"shaped news"

2006-05-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

I agree with this article. Specifically two comments made me nod my head in agreement. "There is no room to pause, no room to think," Dreyfuss, who starred in films ranging from "Jaws" to "Mr Holland's Opus" told Reuters in a recent telephone interview. "We don't build into our system of thoughts the need to explain, the media doesn't build that into its transmission of knowledge and information." AND...

"Civics is no longer taught in the U.S, a sign of a neurosis that is inexplicable," he said. "Not to teach civics is suicide.

"Reason, logic, civility, dissent and debate -- five ancient words that should be taught again and better, at elementary level, so that people know the difference between news and shaped news," Dreyfuss said.

elderly singer behind the mic in a small venue.

2006-04-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

I had my heart broken this weekend by a longtime favorite of mine, as Pearl Jam slummed it on SNL. In a rare televised performance, and paired with Lindsay Lohan, I had low expectations to begin with, but I had no idea what had become of Eddie Vedder. In what can only be described as a free promo for (Insert radical communist left-wing ideologically bankrupt irrational gang of neo-hippie elitist zealots here). I know it's popular for musicians to express political greivances, and I guess it's not a bad idea, considering the acclaim Green Day's American Idiot received, but I guess I never thought I'd hear it from these guys. Especially in this type of venue. When Pearl Jam exploded onto the scene back in the halcyon days of grunge, one of the reasons they rose to the top was their passionate voice. But what good is passion when it is driven by insanity that no rational human can relate to? When Ten was released, many an angst-ridden teen found solace in the expiation of misery that only such songs as Black and Alive can produce. While listening to these gems, one can't help but identify with Vedder, and feel somehow less alone, because it's difficult to conceive of anyone being so passionate about something they hadn't experienced intensely. So when Vedder began his propaganda-riddled performance, I couldn't help but feel cheated. How can you expect your audience to delight in your passion, when so few of them can even stomach your message? It seems not only to relegate the band to the cadre of has-beens who feel their only recourse for renewed record sales is to spew insanity and hope someone takes notice, but it in essence cheapens their entire catalogue. How can daughter or betterman fail to ring less true after seeing that Vedder can apply his full intensity to subjects he is obviously so uninformed about? It's like watching him sing a Howard Dean speech, and realizing that all along the incredible energy that used to drive kids into 12-hour lines for tickets, is a rudderless force, simply being steered by the whims of a person detached from reality. What does Vedder know of the travails of troops in Iraq, or the finer points of Iranian diplomacy? Everyone can relate when Vedder screams out in pain about lost love, scorn received from paternity, but who's going to connect to Worldwide suicide, which Vedder insists here that we are all guilty of? Perhaps my love of this band blinded me to what I should've seen coming earlier. I admit, most SNL watchers couldn't understand Vedder anyway, since it takes a long time to learn to decipher his rantings, and what 15-yr old of today, weaned on Creed and Coldplay, would even bother to try? As if he sees this, I have learned that Vedder has taken to burning effigies of Bush on stage. Perhaps even he realizes his trite lyrical reprisals are falling on deaf ears, and seeks to augment his disjointed messages with base pyrotechnics. So here's to you, Pearl Jam, you got me thorough many a high-school crisis, and now become the object of a mixture of my scorn and pity, much like the idiot savant in Evenflow you once described with such wonderful raw intensity.

Funny enough, Ax Rose IS alive...

2006-03-29T18:24:00.000-06:00

The long awaited (is it really?) Chinese Democracy is slated for release soon. One of my favorite pop culture writers gives his take in this review for SPIN. QUESTION IS...Is this a real review or an April Fools type satirical review? How he got a copy of the CD, when Interscope's website doesn't even list Guns n' Roses on it's roster, amazon.com has no pre-sales page set up yet, and not even a track list can be found online... Anybody got a clue?

Stream This

2006-03-28T11:20:00.000-06:00

For those of you out there who have the occasion to stream music on your computer check out www.pandora.com. You can create up to 100 radio stations for free. Each station is based off of an artist or album you enter. For example, I have three stations right now; NIN, Pink Floyd and Hum. From their website...

Q: What is Pandora?

Pandora is a music discovery service designed to help you find and enjoy music that you'll love. It's powered by the Music Genome Project, the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken. Just tell us one of your favorite songs or artists and we'll launch a streaming station to explore that part of the music universe.

Q: How do you decide what to play?

We take your input (artists, songs) and feedback ("I like this", "I don't like this") and use the Music Genome Project to create stations that play songs that are musically similar to what you've told us. That's it; only the music counts. We don't care how popular the artist is, who's backing them, and we don't care which genre bin they usually belong in. Only the music matters.

links to the past

2006-03-28T02:06:00.000-06:00

alright some thing for you guys to check out. Rhys Southan has a website devoted to beating Jeremy Coon. It is rightfully called beatjeremycoon.com. See the website for further information. Chris Dowling's movie can be seen at clownana.com. Enjoy but beware the past...it is a frightening thing. Author's note: Did anyone here the Gypsy Tea Room has changed owners, will it change names?

New Music: UNDERWORLD Evolution

2006-03-23T14:43:00.000-06:00

Various Artists UNDERWORLD Evolution February 2006 purchase The quality of a given soundtrack can be difficult to judge as most are intensely bipolar, often times swinging from one genre to another and/or from the good to the bad with each new track. You have to base your opinion not only on the how the album reflects the movie it represents, but also the quality of each track/artists on the album. It is also possible for the album to rock, but be a failure because it misrepresents the movie. Conversely the album can properly reflect the tone of the movie, but suck from beginning to end. Seeing that I haven't seen the movie yet my opinion is based more on what I think the movie's tone is from the first UNDERWORLD. This does however also me to focus more on the music itself, separate from the film. Generally speaking the album is good, but not great. In listening to it I see that there is major shift in the type of songs found early in the album and those found in the middle and end. This shift in my view is primarily stylistic. Almost all of the tracks have a Goth rock feel, but the many of the early tracks add an 80's electronic/pop/industrial sound to it. Later on the album a death metal sound takes over and the tracks appear more simplified and raw. I know this comparison is rather generalized, but I feel it is fair nonetheless. For the record, I prefer the earlier parts of the album to the end. Before I give a final ranking for the album I am going first to make a few comments about a number of individual tracks. TRACK 1_PUSCIFER_THE UNDERTAKER (RENHOLDER MIX) This is by far the best song on the album and I am not surprised as the band (Maynard) is the reason I became interested in the album to begin with. One can't be surprised of the quality of this song as it is drawing significant inspiration from Tool and A Perfect Circle influences. The strong vocals are a perfect fit for the music. I love the way the grungy electronic party beat is balanced with muted screaming vocals and samples. The piano chords that begin the song are a cool effect as well. This is the perfect song for Kate Beckinsale, dressed in all black leather and lace, to perform a Goth laden strip show for all of us who care to see. And that is the genius of the song; it is sexy, dark and very atmospheric. It fits the ambiance of the film (or what I think the film is like) better than anything else on the album. TRACK 2_CHESTER BENNINGTON VS JULIEN K_MORNING AFTER I dig this track. It has a late 80's industrial flair. I really like the dissipation of the final chord into nothingness. TRACK 3_HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS_WHEN DO I STAB MYSELF IN THE EARS (THE LEGION OF DOOM REMIX) Hawthorne Heights, Lincoln Park... why do all these bands name themselves after what sounds like a neighborhood/sub-division in the Baltimore or DC area? I appreciate the music, but I think the vocals are somewhat generic, not bad, but just too much of the same ol' same ol'. This track has a distinctive feel of having been composed in the early aughts. It is ok to occasionally hear, but it doesn't have enough redeemable qualities to merit heavy play. TRACK 4_MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE_TO THE END (RNR CHERYL MIX) Let it be known that I want to dislike this track, but I can't seem to make myself. My Chemical Romance is a blend of dark grungy pop rock with punk like vocals. The more I hear it the more I like it. The vocals are growing on me. TRACK 5_SLIPKNOT_VERMILLION PT 2 (BLOODSTONE MIX) This is Slipknot? I really enjoy this track. This song is a great change of pace for the album. It sounds like something that could show up on the Tweaker album. The vocals have an 80's dissonance and pout to them (could be drug induced?). The song starts slow and quiet and builds up to a really cool movement. The lyrics "I won't let this build up inside of me" keep repeating underneath the childlike and innocent rhythm of a xylophone (I think) and what sound like the gears of a clock. But it does "build up inside" until the track explodes in a mix of muted heavy guitar riffs and various vocal layers. Cool Effect. This is probably my second favorite track on the album. TRACK 6_ALKALINE TRIO_BURN (ALLEGED REMIX) Again, a track with 80's flavored vocals and electronic music. Good track. TRACK 7_AIDEN_THE LAST SUNRISE (DUSK MIX) One of the more dark tracks on the album. The song starts with a heavy guitar riff and some electronic overtones. The vocals wear on me, but I really like the music. Another good track, but it also foreshadows the shift in the album with the singer screaming "The last sunrise" towards the end of the track. TRACK 8_SENSES FAIL_BITE TO BREAK SKIN (THE LEGION OF DOOM REMIX) Cool musically, but the vocals lack maturity. TRACK 9_ATREYU_HER PORTRAIT IN BLACK The album shifts to Goth/death metal. Kill me. I really can't take vocals like this. The only reason I make it through Pantera, Metallica or Meshuggah is the musicians are that good. There are some ok moments, but all in all these tracks is not that great. TRACK 10_TRIVIUM_WASHING AWAY ME IN THE TIDES This song is so different from the early part of the album and I can't see how it even makes sense for the film. The vocals are not worth the shit that came out of my ass this morning. TRACK 11_MENDOZZA_ETERNAL BATTLE More of the same. Again, I appreciate the guitar work, but... TRACK 12_LACUNA COIL_OUR TRUTH The female vocals help this track. Something the previous three didn't have going for it. It also helps that I have seen her and yes my friends she is hot. Hot women in rock bands are DAMN SEXY, I repeat, THEY ARE DAMN SEXY! TRACK 13_GOSLING_CAT PEOPLE (PUT OUT THE FIRE) Yeah we get past the fork in the eye death metal! Interesting change here. Solid track. Good rock song and the vocals are punky but folksy. TRACK 14_BOBBY GOLD_WHY ARE YOU UP This track has a little of a Marilyn Manson aesthetic to it. "Suck your brain"? I like it. TRACK 15_MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO_SUICIDE Ahhh, some Meat Beat. Unlike some of the earlier tracks, the vocals here seem at home with the music. He is comfortable with this genre of song and you can tell. This would be a great way to end the album, but alas... TRACK 16_CRADLE OF FILTH_HW2 Quick, smash the end of that vodka bottle, I need something to dig the memory of this track out of my brain and jagged glass sounds as good as anything else. Ok, so that is the album. Overall it is really hit and miss, with more hits than misses. There are a few tracks I would place in heavy IPOD rotation - The Undertaker, Vermillion Pt. 2, Why Are You Up and Suicide - but the vast majority will probably only get a few good listens each year, if that. I don't want to sound negative about the album because it is not bad, but again, like a lot of soundtracks it doesn't hold up from track to track. It should also be noted that the album is full of remixes. Lots of remixes. Since I don’t know the originals very well, I kind of ignored this fact and took the tracks at face value. Overall I give this album 6.5 out of 10

3 years in Iraq.

2006-03-19T01:40:00.000-06:00

All we're saying is, give Mercedes Benz a chance.

Why we fly.

2006-03-10T18:37:00.000-06:00

So I'm flying on the 8:00 to El Paso on a business trip, and I am seated by the window on a Southwest plane, when an older woman sits beside me. She looks about 40 going on 70, with the pot belly barely covered by her mini-t and wrinkled leather face that takes years of hard drinkin' and smokin' to attain. She has about 47 bags, including a bulging McDonald's sack. I immediately become incredibly immersed in my mp3 player, listening to Tool for all they're worth, but my concentration is broken as this pitiful wretch taps me on the shoulder with a bacon egg and cheese biscuit which dribbles greasy bits of biscuit all over my shoulder. I politely decline her offer of coronary in a yellow wrapper, and she shrugs as if to say, "If I were you I wouldn't accept anything from someone looking like me either." It is now that I notice that every inch of her skin that isn't covered by her undersized clothing is peeling, as if she were recently exposed to Plutonium 235 without a lead suit. I can only assume she was soaking up the rays on one of Dallas' many fine beaches?!?!?!?! and forgot to wear sunscreen. As she tucks into the sausage McMuffin she obviously doesn't need, my mp3 player, in a fit of apropos, kicks on Beck's classic, "Loser." Tell me about it. The plane takes off, and as I try to work on my laptop, my concentration is repeatedly broken, as this COPS Dallas: Too Pathetic for TV star munches on her breakfast. The only problem is, she is quite hungover, and the incredible exertion of eating is too much for her battered body to bear. So she takes a bite, begins to chew, then dozes off, slumping over into the seat between us, semi-masticated bits of Ronald's finest tumbling from between her chapped lips. She also manages to drop the sandwich between her peeling thighs, and her troubled sleep movements slowly grind the sandwich to pulp. The unfamiliar to her feeling of strange meat between her legs rouses her, and she rescues the remains of the sandwich from the no-man's land into which it has fallen. At this point, the sandwich resembles a piece of evidence retrieved from Jeffrey Dahmer's fridge, and yet, in her semi-stupor, she shovels in another bite, and immediately passes back out. This process is repeated throughout the flight, and I could only watch in horror as she slowly bites, chews, nods off, and redistributes the sandwich bits all over the middle seat cushion, where it mixes with bits of dead skin from her dying epidermis. At this point, work becomes impossible, because all my intention becomes focused on keeping down my own breakfast as a Iwatch this creature eat a piece of sausage sprinkled with bits of herself. When we finally land, I cue up Stupify by Disturbd, and pleased with my choice, slide out of the seat, trying not to touch the detrius of my neighbor's erstwhile hog's trough, and escape to freedom. Damn, there oughta be some kind of law.

New Music: Juliana Hatfield - Made In China

2006-02-27T13:23:00.000-06:00

Juliana Hatfield

Album: Made In China

January 2006 purchase

I have been on a 'girl rock sound' kick lately and I was inspired to purchase Hatfield's latest record. She is still alive and well and making albums at the rip ole age of 38. I was pleased to find hear that her sound is still that raw, sloppy, teenage ranting that I grew to love in her other album I own: Juliana's Pony: Total System Failure.

This record is simple, unpolished, and - at times - hard to listen to. This album is laid-back overall, not quite as in-your-face as some of her past work. The tone is really set with the somber opening track "New Waif".

There's something about a hot woman musician just throwing out an f-bomb casually in a song, it's sexy. Hatfield has always been about personifying the ugly side of humanity, instead of trying to hide it. The track I am referring to here is "What Do I Care?" - which I can logically attribute to the record title "Made In China" - since the phrase appears in the chorus.

Hatfield also has another quality in her music. Listening makes you feel a little younger. Like you are back in high school, not thinking about consequences of raw emaotional outbursts. It's not immature really. Just a little more wreckless. And fun. Tracks like "Stay Awake", and "My Pet Lion" capture this well.

Overall I give this record about a 7.9 out 10.

Creative props for staying down to earth and real, but the records suffers from not enough "hooks" to keep you wanting more.

Hot in Leather? In Lace?

2006-02-25T11:00:00.000-06:00

WARNING: This is a fluff post, there is no meaty insight or intellectual content whatsoever...but the pictures are nice. Ok, I just watched the movie Underworld and really enjoyed it. Being the huge fan of The Crow that I am, I was somewhat proud of the obvious inspiration Underworld drew from The Crow. The Underworld "goth" is more polished and "metro" than The Crow, but that help it create a feel of its own, so he can complain. ANYWAY... The real purpose of this post is that while watching Underworld I began to look at the quite hot Kate Beckinsale and wondered if she was as smokin as the other leather clad action babe close to my heart, CarrieAnn Moss in The Matrix trilogy. This comparison can, and should also, spread beyond their wrapped in tight black leather looks. Which one is more attractive as a "female"? And by that I mean, who looks better in lacey, girlie things? Here are a few shots for comparison's sake. First, in leather. The winner: Beckinsale is better in black Now, In something more feminine. The winner: Moss is hotter in lace

Lyrics, huh?

2006-02-22T22:41:00.000-06:00

You wanna talk about reflecting on lyrics, I'm trying to get back into school after 4 years in the workforce. Strangely, now I understand "Trading your walk-on part in the war, for a lead role in a cage..." Floyd Wish you were here (As if I had to source that with you lot.)

Lyrical Haze: part 2

2005-11-05T11:10:00.000-06:00

Some more lyrics to reflect on...

His lawyer in the courtroom, made a noble plea. And the judge he gave him eighteen months, but he was out in three. When asked if he ever felt remorse while sittin' up in that pen. He said "hell no, ya know a thief's a thief. And i'd shoot that fucker again, yes I would" -- Primus "Golden Boy" Brown Album

All deserters will be shot At 5 o'clock tomorrow morning So get yourselves together And quit messing around No more nonsense! The assassination occurred at 3.30 No one was there to witness it Even the breviaries had left their tapestries on the window And we were all silenced By the sad mildew cloud That followed around I wish I was back in the land of the... Of the... Aaahm uhm... You can't pin that one on me I didn't do a goddamn thing I was just standing there Then a bunch of guys came up And started laying all this shit on me Now what am I supposed to do? I'm an American! You can't touch me! Did you know all nuns are 42? And their eyes are blue? Did you know all table clothes Are white in France? Did you know women wear underpants? Well, they do! How does a musician imitate The sound of underpants sliding Over a woman's thighs, Down over her ankles, And over her little toes? And the rings on her toes? And her unquipped toe nails? Lightning struck the magic purse I didn't do a damn thing, man! I was just standing there In front of the 'Delicatessen' And all these rabbies ran up And a bunch of Indians and freaks And monsters and f.... just started ... Mhmh... talking in all these weird languages... What aah ... what ... could I say? Hey, I'm tired of being a freaky musician I wanna be Napoleon! Let's have some more wars around here! What a stinking, shitty little war we have running over there Let's get a big one! A real big one! With a lotta killings and bombs and blood! -- The Doors "Mental Floss" The Doors Boxed Set Disc 3

let the lyrical haze begin

2005-10-29T23:31:00.000-05:00

This is the first installment of what may be either a short or long series of postings. Let's begin collecting some of those lyrics that we like most. Whether they are classic lyrics, forgettable lyrics, humerous lyrics or whatever, post them here for posterity's sake. I will get things started with the following few exerts.

"Pictures in a box at home Yellowing and green with mold So I can barely see your face Wonder how that color taste"
-Alice In Chains "Brother"

"Look on the bright side is suicide Lost eyesight I'm on your side Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing Lack of iron and/or sleeping Protector of the kennel Ecto-plasma Ecto-skeletal Obituary birthday Your scent is still here in my place of recovery" - Nirvana "Milk It"

"clearly I remember pickin' on the boy seemed a harmless little fuck but we unleashed a lion gnashed his teeth and bit the recess lady's breast" - Pearl Jam "Jeremy"

"I pressed her thigh and death smiled" - Jim Morrison, The Doors "Lament"

sacrificing genetalia for a cause

2005-10-29T23:30:00.000-05:00

On the list of things I would have given my left nut to see...

Alice in Chains owns stage in tsunami-relief show full of surprises

Monday, February 21, 2005

By TRAVIS HAY SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Who would've thought that Maynard James Keenan, the singer for Tool and A Perfect Circle, would have made a near perfect singer for Alice in Chains? That was one of many surprises Friday night when some of Seattle's musical stars came out for a cause at Premier nightclub.

The cause was a benefit concert for victims of last year's tsunamis, and the stars included Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, Supersuckers, Sir Mix-A-Lot, The Children of the Revolution and others. But the brightest stars were the remaining members of Alice in Chains -- drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist Jerry Cantrell -- who performed together for the first time in six years.

Novoselic acted as host for the show, which was put on by K-Rock (KRQI-FM/96.5). The show raised more than $100,000 for relief efforts.

The reformed Alice in Chains featured several big names filling the shoes of late vocalist Layne Staley, who died of a drug overdose in 2002. Wes Scantlin from Puddle of Mudd, Pat Lachman from metal band Damageplan, Ann Wilson and Keenan all shared microphone duties.

Each turned in remarkable performances that paid justice to the fallen singer. The band performed two sets, one acoustic the other plugged in, with Lachman taking the lion's share of the vocal duties.

The evening wasn't just about Alice in Chains. The Wilsons performed three Led Zeppelin covers along with "Barracuda" and "Crazy on You," Sir Mix-A-Lot offered up rap-metal versions of "Baby Got Back" and "My Posse's on Broadway," and Supersuckers played a blazing set.

Still, Alice in Chains owned the evening. The band's acoustic set started off with "The Killer Is Me," which was followed by "No Excuses." Later in the set, which closed with "Down in a Hole," Ann Wilson brought a soulful edge to "Brother."

For its second set of the night, Alice in Chains opened with "It Ain't Like That" from "Facelift." After the song, Cantrell introduced Scantlin, a surprise guest, who sang "Again" with Lachman and then took over vocal duties for "Would" and "Angry Chair."

But it was Keenan, another surprise performer, who proved the most natural fit at replacing Staley. He impressively nailed "Man in the Box" and "Them Bones."

For the last song, Wilson, Keenan, Lachman and Scantlin took turns trading verses and lines during "Rooster." The "We Are the World"-style rendition of the song was the perfect ending for a magical night.

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER SOURCE: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/212872_alice21q.html