"It's almost as if Ramis and Black and Cera got together and said, "We need to make a movie that will take all three of us down and sully our reputations. We don't want just a blemish -- we want lifelong friends who've seen it to cross to the other side of Montana Ave. when they see us coming. Now, how do we do this?" In this sense, Year One is a success."
Wells slaughtered "Year One" today. I cannot say I am surprised however. None of the trailers have contained more than a half-hearted chuckle, even with a pretty good cast. I have been over Cera for years, his wiener-emo shtick got old about halfway through "Superbad". It was tolerable in "Arrested Development" because the rest of the cast was so aces he was not relied upon to hold up every frame. Black definitely has chops and has done some wonderful work, but before seeing this film I think most people were banking on him not carrying the it. I'll still be seeing it this weekend for the bit players alone. The Rudd/Cross Cane and Abel stuff in particular.
Also, if you have not clicked on Wells' film blog on the links to the right, do it daily. The man is severely opinionated and often hilarious. It is a great read.
The sun came out for the first time in like three days this afternoon. As I pulled out my iPod and began to make a selection for my walk to a friend's place I scrolled to the perfect piece of nostalgia for my sunny trek.
The Promise Ring released "Very Emergency" 10 years ago this month and the album has aged fairly well. I remember purchasing the CD back when it came out. I was still in a punk/emo haze and probably just picked it up because they were on Jade Tree Records. The album was much more poppy than most everything I was listening to at the time, but the hooks were just so plentiful and so catchy. I played this thing so much my discman was probably sick of it.
I probably had not listened to this record since seventh grade before today and as I was letting its sticky,sweet pop melodies invade my ears, I could not believe i did not pull it out sooner. As my tastes matured over the years this record should have been one of the few which made the transition with my jr. high to high school listening habits. It is a simple record, sonically and lyrically, but not every album needs to be progressive.
Sometimes it is just nice to enjoy some simple, pleasing pop music.
Lucero is one of those bands I can listen to no matter what mood I am in. The band creates perfect updated southern rock, without a misstep in its discography. Supposedly there is a new album finished and ready for release in the fall. If the band comes anywhere near you this summer, do not miss out. The dudes tear up live just as hard as on record.
Deer Tick's sophomore outing was one of my most anticipated records of the summer. "Born on Flag Day" continues where the band's debut left off, as it is a record full of solid folk and country tunes. John McCauley's vocals are just as rough as the first go round, lending a rugged edge to the band's vintage sound.
"Flag" is not as immediately enjoyable as "War Elephant" but the record is a definite grower. If it does not click right away, do not fret. There are great songs within, they just take a bit more time to grab on to.
Todd Rundgren is one of those artists who I know I should I listen to but never really got around to. I have had a few records on my computer for years, but now I have started really digging into his 1972 masterpiece, "Something/Anything?" The record was a 4XLP upon its release, so basically a double disc if it came out ten years ago or like two mediafire uploads if it came out today. Rundgren runs through a whole slew of genres, basically owning each one. Whether it be power pop, or heavy rock, or Motown, or white boy soul the man killed it here. For those who get all tight in the jeans when Animal Collective start noodling around with studio effects, give this record a listen and know Rundgren was messing with knobs and dials before Panda Bear was out of grade school.
*this is probably one of the best youtubes of all time
"[E]verybody don't sell crack no more, man. I don't sell crack, yo. I ain't movin' no bricks or none of that other shit. I ain't shoot nobody in like ... since the early ‘90s, man. How long you gonna be 40 years old and actin' like you still sellin' cracks and you on the block and you doin' this and you doin' that when times is more serious, man. We in a fuckin' recession, B! Ain't nobody gettin' no money, man! We gotta stop lyin' to ourselves and lyin' to the fans. And the fans gotta stop bein' so dumb and ignorant, and know it's time to talk about grown-man situations. Shit that happen in the real life, inside your household, your love life, your personal life, that's just like, "Damn, it's hard for a nigga to get some money!"
Now don't get me wrong, I love me some good trap talk, but Ghost is on point here. The only thing is, not many men in the rap game have the skills to go off on other topics. Their rhyming starts and stops at slanging, cars, women, etc...
Hopefully this just means Ghost is going to bring some serious fire on his next outing and inspire those emcees in his age bracket to do the same.
Hovi's home!!! First big leak from "Blueprint 3" for months. It's called "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune) and is produced by No I.D. and Yeezy. Just a radio rip for now, but it's pretty clean. This is just the street single. Proper will drop in July and feature Drake.
Drizzy graces this new Mary J. Blige track. I was expecting some ballad, but Mary J. shows up with a banger. Drake's blowing up folks.
The first leak off of Big Sean's upcoming debut features a Kanye verse from a previous track called "Wheely Shit". This one is called "Glenwood", Big Sean is definitely someone to keep an eye out for.
Lastly, a new jam from Columbus, Ohio crew Fly. Union. The group has been making some waves and the great blog, 2DopeBoyz has been riding for them for a bit. It's called "I Can't Feel My Face".
Links jacked from Nahright and 2DopeBoyz. Both blogs are a must for daily visits.
The new Mos Def, "The Ecstatic" is what rap heads have been waiting for since the man's classic debut. Mos sounds like he has something to prove. Which, in a sense he does. After two disheartening records, one of which did not even see a proper release and the other being a sad foray into blues and rock, he needed to come back proper. This is Mos at his most proper. He is rhyming with a passion here over real nice beats from the likes of Madlib and Chad Hugo. Recent contributor to this site, Luis C. Medina was just saying how he was waiting for a good summer hip-hop release. Well Mr. Medina, it has arrived.
I have watched this so many times since it came out. Seriously, if you are not up on Galifianakis, this dvd is a great starting point. The man does uncomfortable, absurdest humor like few others. Every time I watch the man I miss getting up on stage and attempting some humor. That is one bummer of summer time, there does not seem to be an outlet for that facet of my life.
In last weekend's edition of the Times there was a great piece on the comedian. It's a lengthy read, but does as a good of a job as words could do attempting to explain his humor.
I saw "UP" this weekend and loved it as much as I expected. It is the second best film I've seen in the theater this year. I'm writing a review for the DE this week, so I'm saving all my thoughts for the space that pays me. I'll get a link up here Wednesday when the review goes online. Other than that this weekend I spent time with my newest TV obsession and watched a lot of sports.
It's a special day as Luis C. Medina, head of The Big Dead Sidebar blog has graced us with a piece on T.I. Along with having mad knowledge on the sports world, Luis also has a passion for hip-hop and graces us with a post on the state of the game with T.I. going in for his 366 day prison bid. Sit back, relax and revel in the writings of one gifted journalist.
It's not like he's getting the O.J. treatment, he'll only be gone a year. But for 12 months, the game will be without its hottest flow spitter.
T.I. is riding a sick hot streak on the heels of his album "Paper Trail" which had more hits Ray Lewis and more bangers than a Crips-Bloods reunion. He's had guest spots here, there and everywhere. And unlike some rappers (*cough*Wayne*cough*) T.I. didn't slouch.
In the days and months since his sentencing, T.I. has leap-frogged damn near every rapper out there and is legitimately gunning for the No. 1 spot without even touching an autotune.
So who's going to take over while he's gone?
Well, thankfully we will soon be graced with Jay-Z's highly anticipated "Blueprint 3" sooner rather than later. Drake is heating up everyone's speakers, his album should be hotter than Hedo Turkoglu's shooting touch. And if someone can talk Weezy and Yeezey to step away from putting a lil' T-Pain in their voice, maybe they can emerge from the rap side of things.
Until then, we'll be patiently waiting for T.I. to get out and drop a bomb on us.
The viral marketing campaign has kicked off for Apatow's "Funny People". This first set finds Jason Schwartzman's character starring in a sitcom teaching some ragamuffin youths in an english high school class. Not a ton of laughs but the people behind this campaign have done a superb job of making this seem so real. The NBC website is awesome, I wonder if I can really order the first season?
When Jay Bennett passed away this weekend I did a whole bunch of Bennett-assisted Wilco listening. Mostly "Summerteeth", "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and the engineer sessions of "YHF". My listening adventures then took me to re-visiting the "Mermaid Avenue" records the band did with Billy Bragg. These two albums are incredibly solid. A veteran musician and a band in its prime, ripping Woody Guthrie tunes. The trade off of vocals from Tweedy to Bragg keeps things fresh from song to song. These two records sadly seem to get dismissed when discussing Wilco but are a welcome respite from the stagnation the band seems to be stuck in lately. Not saying the last couple Wilco records have not been enjoyable, it just sounds like the band is starting to settle into a groove. The days of experimentation seem to be behind them. But those days have basically been gone since Bennett and Tweedy never could squash their beef and he left the band. Bennett was a gifted musician and will be missed.
I have not wrote about "Party Down" in this space, I did here however. I just wanted to get the word out there again about this wonderful show.. The things I wrote in the linked article all still ring true as the show finished up its first season last Friday. Even with the departure of Jane Lynch, Jennifer Coolidge stepped in and absolutely slaughtered the two episodes she was in. The finale showed why the woman shows up in so many comedies (even crappy ones not directed by Christopher Guest). Also, Ryan Hansen has been consistently hilarious throughout the season. I first noticed him when he was on the bummer of a third season for "Veronica Mars". He basically plays the same character here, but with a lot more freedom. The room to improvise and the chemistry between him and Martin Starr have made him the breakout actor for the series in my opinion. I am very excited the show got greenlit for a second season, I just hope they can lock up a majority of the cast to come back. Even if Caplan (please stay!) is not in the mix or if Lynch is not around, the writing and directing are definitely strong enough to carry the show no matter what actors are placed in the cast.
I certainly hope so. This video has Kanye claiming Hov had him go back in the studio to remove all the autotune from "Blueprint 3". Thank God Hov made this decision. I have complete faith in Kanye's beatmaking abilities, but Jay does not need to be hampered by this overused fad. Here is to hoping BP3 is a serious classic.
I really do not know what riled me up so much about the AV Club's review of the new Passion Pit album, "Manners". I guess totally disagreeing with everything written within could be the main reason. Paul Caine, the critic threw out terms like "mediocrity" and "pop punk", both of which have nothing to do with the debut from the Boston group. I cannot have beef with someone feeling something is mediocre, but tagging a genre to a band that has nothing to do with its sound is a bit far fetched. I just cannot say I hear any New Found Glory in the songs Caine transfixes the "pop punk" tag to, one of which being the gloriously epic, "Moth's Wings".
While this is quite the jam, the real crux of the album are the dance tracks. "Little Secrets" being one of the strongest.
Just a little rant. The album is a pretty solid one and perfect for these sunny summer days.
Put on a terribly depressing album while sitting in an apartment all by yourself. Well, unless it is something as marvelous as "In the Wee Small Hours". I have been trying to dig a bit deeper into Sinatra's catalogue than before and this one seems like the perfect soundtrack to a humid summer night. It is more sparse than his other works, but the limitlessness of just a piano and the occasional strings make the melancholy within that much sadder. Even though the subject matter is inherently heartbreak, Sinatra's vocals are so smooth and pristine, it is almost enough to skate over his somber lyrics. But, not accepting the downtrodden tunes for what they are is a mistake. Supposedly this record was made when he was totally bummed from his relationship with Ava Gardner dissolving. When most of us suffer through a breakup we put on some sad bastard music and sift through the pain. Thank God Ol' Blue Eyes experienced the same heartache, so the rest of us would have something to listen to at our low times.
I just watched "Coraline" again and urge everyone to do the same. It is such a wonderfully dark and touching childrens tale. I hesitate to call it that because the film is an intense one at times and would be a bit different than showing a kid "Toy Story" or something. This is not a surprise knowing who was involved with the project. Director Henry Selick helmed "Nightmare Before Christmas" and the original book was penned by Neil Gaiman. Selick's animation style perfectly encapsulates Gaiman's haunting tale, eventually wrapping everything up with bright, warm visuals. This film may not get the same burn as Pixar projects, but it should be placed in the same category of high quality animated film. A supremely enjoyable viewing experience.
The Falcon is a Chicago punk supergroup of sorts. The band is made up of formers members of punk/ska heavyweights Slapstick and the bands that came after it broke up. Brendan Kelly on the vocals and Dan Adriano on bass should have anyone salivating who loved Asian Man Records when in junior high. The Falcon's debut, "Unicornography", is basically Slapstick redux, but without the horns. So, the scratched, grating vocals are still intact as well as the brash lyrics and in your face, breakneck punk rawk.
"Murder Was the Case" is definitely towards the top of '09 hip hop releases. Even as Gucci continues his trek towards the mainstream
songs like
make him a force to be reckoned with. It also helps he's got Zaytoven and Speedy providing him with some of the most interesting beats in hip-hop right now.
Well, not really. However, this is something to get excited about. I loved "Stella" when it was on, plus "The State" being nuts and "Wet Hot American Summer" being one of my favorite movies has me checking for dudes all the time. I only hope Wain is not involved because he's busy doing some stellar directing or something.
What's the difference between Connor and Wayne? If you're Bale, not much at all it turns out.
I haven't sat in the front at a movie since I was probably 10 years old. Last night we showed up just a few minutes early for the "Terminator Salvation" midnight showing and had to rock some front row seats. After getting over my initial seizure of having to be that close I was treated to an above average summer blockbuster. McG's first foray into the Terminator universe is one full of brawn and little to no brains. There is no character development or emotional attachment to any of the stars to speak of. This doesn't take away from the overall brute force of the film. It is wall to wall action from the get go and that is all I was looking for early this morning. The beginning action sequence borrows heavily from "Children of Men" and its use of single take scene work. This makes for an intense thread of action in McG's desolate, futuristic universe. The story does not matter here, it is McG's great use of modern CGI and in your face robot violence that makes the film succeed. If you have already seen "Star Trek" and are looking to escape the heat at the multiplex this weekend, "Salvation" is your best bet.
Fam-Lay isn't dead! The Star Trak spitter has been absent for a minute but returns with a vintage Neptunes beat. Fam always had a wonderfully off-kilter flow and it is a great thing if he's back. Maybe we can finally get a full album from him or at least a mixtape. The bongos are beating like it's 2001 on this jam. Here's to hoping Skateboard P gets back to his old ways on the boards.
It's been a serious month or so for me. Just stuff going down and school ending and then beginning. I'm back though with a renewed sense of passion for working this space. So now I'm going to touch on an artist who is really exciting me (and a number of others on the internets). Drake is a Canadian rapper who, yes, was once on that Degrassi show. Well, the young spitter is all grown up these days and has put out one of the best collection of hip hop songs of '09, "So Far Gone". Right away the thing that struck me is the fact that Drake can actually sing. Along with being able to tear into a track, the man can sing the hook as well. Unlike Wayne who thinks he can carry a hook, Drake can actually do it, without the autotuner Weezy. Wayne has been one of Drake's biggest campaigners. The two have been showing up on tracks together for a while now. This creative coupling is only for the best for Wayne as he seems to step his game up every time him and Drake are sharing a beat. It really reminds me of when Beanie Sigel was murdering everything at the beginning of this decade and Hova, in turn, started to tear into tracks when the two shared a beat (peep The Wire's Sydnor and Bodie in the vid). So Drake has those two positives going, but the one thing that has since been rolling around my brain after listening to the record numerous times, is Drake's verses on "Successful". The beat is a slowburner as Trey Songz croons the hook about wanting money, cars, clothes, hoes... ya know the usual rap stuff. Drake takes the normal hip-hop wanting material things jam and flips it on its ear. He flows about certainly wanting these things, but his downtrodden flow and admitting to leasing a Phantom are not commonplace for a song of this nature. It is so refreshing to hear a rapper be able to rap about these material items without chest beating, but dropping his guard instead. Drake is definitely the one emcee in the newest crop of dudes getting buzz right now that has me jacked about the future of hip-hop.
In all seriousness, this was a solid piece of work. Especially as a debut from first time director Brian Goodman. The whole Boston crime world has been tread so heavily in movies over the past few years, but this film does not make the city its focal point. Ruffalo just takes over this movie. I don't understand how this guy doesn't get more work. Whatever he's in he kills.
This is better than expected. I definitely won't be deleting the whole thing. It was a good idea to put Maybach Music II here. Listening to a full album of Ross talk about Gucci can be a chore, but throw one or two tracks here onto a playlist and it works.
The first of two great films out right now that were marketed terribly. Adventureland trailers make it seem like it is going to be Superbad 2 and it has little in common with director Greg Mottola's hit last summer. The film is a wonderful piece of throwback 80s comedy/drama that deserves all the John Hughes comparisons being thrown its way. There are a number of laughs in the film, but it is more about the characters within instead of one liners. The cast is superb, even Kristen Stewart. She might be the most boring person on the planet when not on film, but her performance here is confident and heartbreaking at times. Jesse Eisenberg continues his string of strong roles with a starring turn here. I just thank God Mottola didn't give this to Cera. Eisenberg has Cera's awkwardness down, but he also brings a level of confidence never found with Cera. Also, it is always wonderful to see Martin Starr and he kills here.
If you're not watching Eastbound & Down yet you must get on it. I hate hearing people call this "dumb" comedy because McBride and his writing partners (Hill, Gordon Green, etc...) have crafted one of the smartest comedies on TV right now. It could easily just be Talladega Nights 2, but there is depth to these characters as well as intense hilarity week in and week out. It's been nice to look forward to HBO Sunday nights again these past few weeks. Big Love has been stellar this season, one of the best overall shows on TV right now. It's too bad Flight has to swoop in between Eastbound and Love with its mediocrity. They need a Murray spinoff or something.
New Grizzly Bear has made its way onto the internet machine. It's an awful rip and I almost wish I hadn't listened to it because there is so much going on within this album. Listening to a sub par rip doesn't give the music justice. This time around it sounds as if songwriting was the major focus and less on relying on production. "Two Weeks" is killer. Here's the live version from Letterman, the album cut is even better.
The Tumblr experiment is over. I've decided to do a little work around this space, revamp somethings and make the overall layout and experience more enjoyable for the lucky few who stumble up on it.
So, postings will resume shortly as I work on some things.
New website for the Daily Egyptian this semester. The Pulse section, which I'm editing these days, has been turning out some pretty good stuff so far. The new website has given us some great opportunities to write a bit more and start working with video. Check out Chris and myself with our first foray into the online video landscape for our little section of the paper today.
A bunch of new music floating around. The Boss, M. Ward, blah blah blah. Hopefully I'll have some time to write some of that up on here.
Go see The Wrestler if you can, it's near-perfect.
As we listen to the underwhelming The Carter III at Chris' apartment, Shoot Me Down is a highlight. The only thing is, the Kanye beat sounds like it could be a Linkin Park B-side. Oh well, at least Wayne decided to rap on it instead of sing through the vocoder.
My dad got the Joe Strummer documentary, The Future is Unwritten, from one of his employees for Christmas. It's put together pretty well and really gives some insight into how important Strummer was to punk and pop music as a whole. Watching the documentary also got me to dig out the records he made with The Mescaleros at the beginning of this decade. I loved these albums when I was in high school. Strummer was grabbing from numerous genres creating some great work before his untimely death in 2002. They're certainly worth your time if you were a fan of The Clash or just well made rock 'n' roll.
It's guilty pleasure time folks. Here's a few that have been plaguing me over the past year. Don't even try and hate, these are top notch records through and through that I listened to near as much as the ones that made the year end list.
1. The Gaslight Anthem- "The '59 Sound" The best record of the year is also the simplest, sonically, on the list. The Gaslight Anthem is not out to re-invent the wheel. They have produced a record steeped in punk and Americana ethos which many artists have visited before. The result is a wonderfully honest record full of heartache and redemption.
2. The Hold Steady- "Stay Positive" The best rock band in operation. On its fourth record in five years, the band's hooks are still as killer as they were from day one and Craig Finn's lyrics are just as introspective as ever. The band stepped up its ballad game on this year's release, crafting gems like "Lord I'm Discouraged" to go along with fist pumping jams like album opener "Constructive Summer."
3. Kanye West- "808's & Heartbreak" A cold, calculating turn of events from one of pop music's greatest artists. Basically stripping his sound of everything which made him the star he is today, Kanye has turned out an ambitious record full of icy synths and pounding drums. His decision to abandon rapping for the most part and sing through an autotuner only magnifies the record's pitiful, inward looking agenda.
4. TV on the Radio- "Dear Science," The most accessible record the band has produced is also a layered, sonically thick listening experience. Grasping the dance, funk aesthetic the band has hinted at over past releases has made their newest one of the most engaging records of the year. The band might be laying on the Bowie and Talking Heads influences a bit thick, but doing it with enough originality and musicianship to remain fresh as ever.
5. Blitzen Trapper- "Furr" On the band's sophomore effort, it has fell face first into the Americana landscape. Borrowing heavily from folk, Southern rock and psychedelia from previous decades, the band has put together the exact opposite of a sophomore slump.
6. David Byrne & Brian Eno- "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" Those expecting a record full of Eno ambience and Byrne spitting nonsense over frustrating soundscapes need to check themselves.This is a pop record through and through. The hooks are sticky sweet and choruses sore over the two men's amazing penchant for crafting near-perfect pop gems. A rare, unexpected treat.
7. Bon Iver- "For Emma, Forever Ago" Recorded in a secluded cabin in the bare, bleakness of a Wisconsin winter, "For Emma, Forever Ago" is a heartfelt, tear stained masterpiece. Guitars are sparse and when percussion and strings pop up from time to time the instruments are welcome additions to each song's torment. Justin Vernon's aching falsetto only adds to the record's turmoil. A great record for the winter months.
8. The Tallest Man On Earth- "Shallow Graves" The Tallest Man On Earth is in actuality Scandinavian folk singer Kristian Matsson. His debut record has been tagged "Dylan-esque" by nearly every publication who has taken the time to give the record the publicity it deserves. The tag has been applied rightfully so. Each year an artist or two gets slapped with the tag but for few does it actually resonate. Matsson's plucking guitar and banjo and seamlessly engaging voice are the makings of a rich, elegant folk record which should not be missed.
9. Young Jeezy- "The Recession" In the past, tough economic and political times fostered great music. I cannot and will not compare Jeezy's latest to Dylan or "Born in the U.S.A." or Public Enemy but it has its moments. The rapper shows his flow is more than just adlibs and and tough talk by discussing the perils of hood life and the importance of our new President elect.
10. Jason Anderson- "The Hopeful and the Unafraid" Anderson's 2008 release is a great exercise in fun, anthemic rock 'n' roll. Grabbing from The Replacements, Springsteen and contemporaries The Hold Steady, this throaty, barroom stomping rocker is full of jams which are locks to be stuck in heads for days.
Last weekend a discussion ensued between my friends Chris and Hannah and myself. A heated debate over the best Radiohead record developed. My money is still on OK Computer, electronics be damned.
Classic status If you haven't watched Freaks and Geeks yet, what are you waiting for dummy.
I slept on the newest Plies record, Definition of Real. I'm enjoying it so much more than Real Testament. Real gritty and I can even stand it when he drops a jam for the ladies. Something I can't say for most of his other peers so far this year *cough*T.I.*cough*
Great first episode of the third season of Friday Night Lights. After they hastily wrapped things up from the second season, this episode got rolling. Some really great scenes like Buddy trying to connect with Tami in her office and dropping a "Clear eyes, full hearts..." and her just shutting him down. The one scene that really got me was the racquetball one at the end of the episode. It was tied up in all the right drama the way this show did consistently in its first season. Here's to hoping they keep getting better.
I want to urge you again to check out Gaslight Anthem's record from this year, "'59 Sound." A great, blue collar (I guess) punk record. A whole mess of working man tunes wrapped up in some quick punk jams and slow burner ballads. Really one of my favorites so far this year. Here's the title cut from the record.
It's been a pretty great week for music. I'd been in somewhat of a rut, nothing new was peaking my interest since the Okkervil leaked a while back. Then came the new Blitzen Trapper first. Their sophomore release, Furr, is parts Wilco, parts The Band, parts The Kinks, let's just say it's pretty wonderful. It's neck and neck with the Okkervil for my favorite record so far this year probably. Also, the new Kings of Leon leaked today, Only by the Night. This time around KOL gets a little epic on us. A lot of U2 influence floating around on this record and that's not a bad thing. Whereas Coldplay did not exactly pull that off, this new KOL is incredibly enjoyable. The lead singer just keeps getting better and better too.
Kings of Leon- Sex On Fire I have not got to the new TV on the Radio, but I sure expect that to be all kinds of awesome.
I apologize. It's nearly been a month and I've been mad busy with moving, newspaper stuff and a new school year. Some quick things that I've been digging.
Bloc Party- Intimacy The band's third record has been getting crapped on for the most part but I find it quite enjoyable. It's a step up from Weekend in the City.
The Game- L.A.X. It sucks we had to wait this long into the year for some great rap records. This is one of them and here's to hoping the new Jeezy and T.I. live up to my high hopes.
Seeing The Hold Steady in Chicago, November 14th. Meet me there.
I've been slacking heavily on here. The past few weekends I've been out of town (Pitchfork one week, I'll do a post on that sometime) and just doing school and newspaper stuff that's been keeping me occupied. Right now I just want to give some space to the new A.B.N. album. It's two of the most consistent southern rappers, Trae and Z-Ro doing what they do best. Spitting real fast about depressing aspects of the hood and a whole lot of talk about beating yo azz. This is out on Rap-A-Lot and is getting little to no shine on rap blogs and it's a shame. So far it's probably my favorite rap album this year behind Killer Mike's new one.
I move out on Thursday then I'll throw up Pitchfork and Mad Men Season 2 posts.
The new album by Wild Sweet Orange, "We Have Cause to be Uneasy" is quite the enjoyable indie rock record. With vivid lyrics and a great soft,loud,soft dynamic, this band should get some buzz in the coming months.
1. Holiday weekend, Started the weekend off right by heading home for the Fourth and getting down to business at the McGregor Estate. Good times with great people and Chris breaking his face. It was also my Dad's 50th birthday on Sunday so my family trekked to St. Louis to enjoy the Cubs/Cardinals games on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was a total bummer but the Cubs rallied and made Sunday's game worth the whole trip. Also, going to Busch Stadium with the p's and not having to pay for my own $9 beers was ace. my man
2. David Banner- Greatest Story Ever Told, I've been waiting for this joint for a while. Banner Southern growl is in full effect and these jams sound great on my humid morning runs. I could have done with less club tracks and more of Banner's political/hood talk but the album's pretty solid. "Get Like Me" is that jam by the way.
3. Alex Idleman, Big ups to this man for picking up my Dark Knight ticket for the 12 a.m. opening. I'm trying to black out everything having to do with this film until that night, I can't wait.
4. Mission Hill re-runs, 1 a.m. on Adult Swim, Mission Hill has been getting some play. A really witty cartoon with fun, colorful animation. I vaguely remember this from it's WB or MTV run in the early 00's. Good stuff.
5. Michael Chabon- Mysteries of Pittsburgh, I started reading Chabon's first novel over the weekend and I'm totally engrossed. I've read Wonder Boys and Summerland, and this one doesn't dissapoint. The man is one of my favorite living novelists. Mysteries of Pittsburgh reads like a better Bret Easton Ellis novel stripped of that man's inflated ego. The book has also been made into a film that I'm anticipating. Peter Sarsgaard plays the character Cleveland which is some perfect casting.
I've been putting some work into the entertainment section at our school's paper this summer. It's great to be getting paid to do something I love and I'm really starting to enjoy the editing aspect of my job. If you've got some free time, stop by and give some of the stories a read.
Here's something new instead of "here's what I like right now" posts. I guess it'll end up being a lot of the same actually but in a different format. It's late and I'm tired, those last two sentences probably don't make a lot of sense.
Top 5 smile generators
1. My trip to Champaign last weekend, It was wonderful to get together with some people I haven't seen for a while and just straight tear things up. Also, parties are just so much better when myself, or someone with similar music tastes (Dylan) runs the stereo.
2. Not having class at 11 a.m. over the summer, This is noteworthy because I can finally watch Homicide re-runs on WGN. I haven't been able to do this since last year and it's usually one of the best parts of my day. Man, this summer has been lame. 3. The Hold Steady- Stay Positive, This leaked about a month ago and I've been listening to it a couple times every week. It didn't grab me immediately as their first three releases did but it's a logical next step in the band's sound. The big bar-rock guitars have been turned down and the pop sensibilities have been turned way up. I'm really looking forward to their set at the Pitchfork fest this summer, they kill live.
4. In Bruges, I really had no expectations going into this film. The trailers made it look like some second-rate crime thriller, but it's really one of the best comedies I've seen this year. Ralph Fiennes brings so many laughs when he shows up for the second half. The movie also successfully had me caring about a Colin Farrell character for the first time ever I think. 5. Angelina Jolie, I sawWantedover the weekend to review it for Tuesday's paper. While it's not really a good film, it's certainly great stylized violence. Jolie steals the whole thing, she's bigger than the movie, a force all by herself.
On Monday Tom Breihan announced that his M-F Village Voice music blog "Status Ain't Hood" would be ending as he moves onto unannounced greener pastures. When I moved to college three years ago this was one of the first music blogs I started checking regularly. Whatever Tom was commenting on I had interest in reading. It's really sad to see it go and I'll miss checking it on the daily for updates ranging from Project Pat to a minute by minute rundown of the CMA Awards. I've got a link to the blog on the side of mine, take a few minutes and run through the posts he lists as some of his favorite from over the years.
Welcome to Breakfast for the Block. This space is just for quick thoughts on whatever media is occupying my time. Any download links are for preview purposes only, let me know of any beefs and they will be removed.
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