Thursday, April 29, 2004
(2:25 AM) | Anonymous:
There's No Beast, Obviously. The Floor Just Creaks, Obviously.
It has been raised, the question that is, of whether or not Robb has changed his CDs. The question has actually been raised twice now. Let us answer with a resounding YES! I have changed the CDs in my car. As it happens, however, I've been spending the last 2 weeks or so trying to make up for a semester of slackerdom, and thus time has been proverbially of the essence.Well, I'd like to leave it at that, but my conscience won't let me. I skipped last week because I was extremely busy, it's true. But also helping in this was the fact that...gosh..I hate to admit it..but um, Justin Timberlake's "Justified" occupied a space within my car stereo.
I'm sorry. So..so sorry. And I mean for myself. See..the trouble with systems, is that they inevitably will fail. Usually this is like the upcoming system error of Dance-pop Minogue-esque Holly Valance, but, sometimes something must hack the system off, and it spits out something like this. I have to say, throughout the album there were perhaps even time where I was actively like "Oh..this is perhaps not the worst thing ever", and yet, then 5 seconds later Justin would come in. Yeah..I can get down with the beats and what not, and why not? The world's best producers made this album for JT, and then he came along and screwed it up. I..nevermind..I'm not going to try to justify this listening, it was just a terrible experience that I'm glad I made it through. LET IT BE KNOWN, however, that I did pick up some nice tips with the ladies. Routinely, in class, when that pretty girl I like sits next to me, I now turn and say:
"Little baby with the sun dress on
Looking so "dang" right you're wrong
Make me wanna write my own little song for you
The way the thing just wiggle in the air
Turn around and then you flip your hair
I could think of a couple positions for you"
Does that...I mean..I'm sorry..but is there anything connecting those statements at all? Like..They sort of rhyme..in that 1-4 2-3 pattern..but not nearly enough to justify throwing random lustful phrases all together, especially ones as full of CORN as those...
I dunno, it's still really pretty classy LIKE FREDDY BLASSY, and I have been quite a hit around campus since that week. THANKS JUSTIN! No..but that's actually the worst part of the album...Justin really seems convinced that phrases like that are cool..and he seems to actually think of himself as something other than a complete and total TOOL. I find that strange. it'd be interesting to psycho analyze someone like that.
Also..LET IT BE KNOWN..that someone within the Weblog's circle of friends is responsible for sending this album to me, though upon my hesitant request. So, if you speak bad about me, you speak bad about everyone by double association.
Dangit. I need a new system. Oh, but let me mention, in spite of Justin, Primal Scream was in the car that week too..and they nearly redeemed the raunchy stank that was left in my car in the wake of "JUSTIFIED"...Gosh, I do love Primal Scream.
On to this week, which was still somewhat weak overall, but anything was better than the week prior.
Okkervil River - Stars Too Small To Use
Okkervil River is probably my favorite "below the below the radar" band. That is to say..they aren't necessarily even known by indie kids, but their album can still be bought at most any Amazon.com. I guess that makes no sense as there's only one Amazon.com. Twinging dangerously near that "Alt-country" category, but coming back with more folk and blatant rock, Okkervil River is great stuff. They also seem to play Oklahoma City once every 2 months or so. For instance, they are playing here on May 2nd again, this time with The Minus Story. And, I'll likely be there yet again even though Enon is playing the same night, because last time they remarked that they liked my "My New Fighting Technique Is Unstoppable" shirt, and I store away all nice comments in a little zip-lock bag. I've lost where that was going, and all because for some reason that stupid LIT song got in my head. Anyway, this album is their first, and certainly not their best, but still good enough to be the highlight of an otherwise somewhat weak week. Anyone ever play the Atari game Bird Week? So good.
Anyway, what later would become a definable craft for these guys, is here being formulated. Songs like "The Velocity of Saul at the Time of His Conversion", "Kathy Keller" and "He Passes Number Thirty-Three" show the amazing beauty that was to come. Really..I'd love to see those songs re-recorded today, with some better quality, and the advance in skill all have taken, especially the lead vocalist. On this CD they are a little raw, but that's almost part of its particular appeal. At least..it is until the singer is just moaning off key at about the 6 minute mark of some songs. However, their song writing prowess is undeniable, and this is definitely worth the listen, if perhaps not reccomended for first exposure.
Relative tour dates to those within the PREFERRED WEBLOG COMMUNITY:
05/07 Madison, WI - Catacombs
05/08 Chicago, IL - Schubas
05/11 Bloomington, IN - Second Story
Camerata Academica des Salzburger Mozarteum f. Geza Anda - Mozart: Piano Concertos nos. 20, 21 & 1
We've talked about this already, yet, I've still got 4 discs to go in this box set, so I don't know what I'll find each week. However, the Concertos do seem to keep getting better and better. Perhaps Mozart hit his stride later in life, I don't really know that much about him, but these are probably some of the more beautiful pieces I've ever heard.
To have something to talk about - anyone ever watch Garfield's Nine Lives? After Pete's Dragon, it was probably my personal favorite as a child. Particularly of interest this week is Garfield's fourth life, where he was a court musician's cat. And, the musician was actively working on a big symphony for the King, when the joker busts in and says the king has demanded a CONCERTO for that night, and if the guy can't finish it he will DIE! Long story short..Garfield ends up writing the finale for the guy, and it's all bluesy, and everyone loves it and loves Garfield. But then he decides that he hates work, so he doesn't write any more music.
May God Bless Garfield. Seriously, I'd like to see someone try and be Devil's Advocate if the church nominated Garfield for sainthood. What the heck are you gonna say? Seriously..remember how in one life he was a girl, and his master played piano for him every night..and then when he/she was dying, the master played the most beautiful concert ever for her, then that night Garfield/whatever his girl name was, died there on the piano from old age? Freaking beautiful. I cried. And I'm not kidding, and I'm not ashamed. GO NEWSBOYS! The cat is flawless!
Also - more classical and blues mashings need to happen, let us take our lead from the orange.
Relevant Tour Dates -
I'm pretty sure everyone on this recording is dead, but Garfield the Movie is guaranteed to suck on June 11th of this year. Although..it does have Bill Murray in the title role..and Jennifer Love Hewitt as a reason to go see it, and Jimmy Kimmel and Nick Cannon..oh..nevermind..sorry. Ha ha..dude was on Nickelodeon's ALL THAT!
Adam Again - Worldwide Favorites
I talked a lot about Adam Again back when their albums proper came through the CD player a few weeks ago. So, suffice to say, I think they were probably the best thing to happen to Christian music in the 80's and early 90's, and it's a shame people were listening to freaking "Go West, Young Man" instead of this, which is actually good.
Also, Worldwide would be my nomination for best Christian song ever. And that includes Amazing Grace, Dancing With The Dinosaur, and Mozart's Coronation mass. And I have no clue why. It's extremely short and I always play it about 5 times in a row. Such a simple chord progression, such simple lyrics. The voice sounds like Michael Stipe, of course, and I have no clue what it is about it, but I never get tired of the song, which is pretty rare. I'm too much of a fan boy to go on any further, but suffice to say, this is why I still occasionally give Christian rock a chance.
Weather Report - This Is Jazz, Vol. 40 - The Jaco Years
I'm not a big fan of this type of jazz, sadly, for whatever reason. I don't know if it's the "electronic" sounds I can't get used to, or maybe something just hasn't clicked yet. I don't know..whenever I hear anything with a bit of Fusion to it, I automatically think people are going to come out and start having sex. So, blame my prudent upbringing for my lack of appreciation I guess. Mainly, it's the "spacey" sound that they give all the instruments, from the keyboards to the bass. If I can get past the porn type boogies going on, I then have to deal with the fact that it sounds a little like I'm in a future ride at Disney world. However, Weather Report is probably the best of this brand of jazz, and as such, there are a lot of enjoyable moments on this cd. Jaco certainly is an amazing bass player, that much I can recognize. I just wish they'd cut the synthesized sounds they have to give to everything. Dang those 1970's and their drugs!
Primus - Animals Should Not Try To Act Like Humans
By all standards, I should probably hate Primus. It's not hook based, it's not anything to "groove" to, it's not relaxing. But, dang..it's good. This album is a far cry from Frizzle Fry and the like, but it still is good to have Primus back together again. It sounds a lot more like the Colonel Les Claypool's Frog Bridage stuff, but, I say that being a casual Primus fan, so I can't really give in depth analysis. I think a lot of people were hating on this cd, but heck, it was a throw in with a DVD, rather than an album proper. And, if this is the main 3 just screwing around again, when they actually set out to make an album it should be fantastic. I would try to explain why I like Primus, against all reason, but I've already been spending most of this post trying to justify myself, so dangit, I'm just leaving "Primus is really good" alone. Robb should not try to act like he knows stuff about music.
Tour Dates That Matter, on the Primus, Hallucino-Genetics tour-
06/09/04 Milwaukee, WI North Stage at Summerfest
06/18/04 Rochester Hills, MI Meadow Brook Music Festival
06/19/04 Toronto, ONT Hummingbird Centre
06/26/04 Chicago, IL UIC Pavilion
NOFX - Heavy Petting Zoo
I have certain moods where I am all about the straight up pop-punk rock. Dangit, this is a week of totally killing everything I stand for. That being said, NOFX are normally one of the bands in this category who qualify the most, along with like..Zebrahead and some others, but I'm not so sure about this album. It seems to have some of the same elements, but results to cheap tricks rather than killer..I don't know..killer whatever it is. Maybe it's just the fact that I was just hearing it on my car stereo, rather than blasting through the walls courtesy of Andy Kring. But, they seem here to basically be doing the pop punk thing..where I'm not sure they're that far above Blink 182. Heck, I'm not sure they're really outshooting Slick Shoes or Ghoti Hook with this one. It's still enjoyable. In fact, that's one of the weird things about the "pop punk". I find almost every bit of it decent at least, certainly listenable, yet very, very rarely do I find it definitively "good". All bands within the genre seem to permanately occupy that middle ground of "okay-ness", seldom ever moving above it. I wonder if that's just a trait of the genre, trying to appeal to the mediocre teens who don't wanta go "hardcore", but don't want to listen to like, The Calling either. Weird. I dunno, I think many of our friends have more experience in the punk rock field, so perhaps they can inform me here. But, heck, I still get a kick out of album titles like "The War on Errorism" and song titles like "Hobophobic", so NOFX are okay in my book.
That's all. I'm nearly done with school. One paper, 3 finals to go. May the world only explode..
