I'm Becoming an Emotional Being

Listening to: Yes Nice - Blindfolded

It may be partially a result of the combination of my association with and respect for the members of Yes Nice, but so far, I really, really love their newest record. I know I'm not a credible source of excellent music reviews and critiques, but there it is. Love it. (Especially the latter half of 'Empty Space', good grief, almost weeping.)



Yes Nice - Blindfolded ★★★★★★★★★✩

Favorite Tracks: Empty Space, Only 'Cause You Can't, and the Whale, Ghost or a Knife, Remote Control, Horses
Least Favorite Tracks:

1. Empty Space
2. Water Wine
3. Only 'Cause You Can't
4. and the Whale
5. Your Name
6. Ghost or a Knife
7. Remote Control
8. Blindfolded
9. Horses
10. Mountain Man

Fantastic Marketing

Listening to: Port O'Brien - All We Could Do Was Sing

I just watched a trailer for a movie called "Clash of the Titans", and I couldn't help but literally LOL as the tagline appeared in one of those one-word-at-a-time sequences cut with action from the movie. The tagline, get this, for this movie, called "Clash of the Titans" went like this: (Fighting/Action) Titans (Fighting/Action) Will (Fighting/Action) Clash. "Titans Will Clash". I'm pretty sure the title of the film indicates that there are Titans and that at some point in the course of the movie we can expect that they will clash. But to come right out in the trailer and say "Titans Will Clash"? That takes balls. Well played, the Brothers Warner, well played.

This Port O'Brien album is alright. It's some pretty average folky stuff, nothing to write home about or write on blog about. So, I'll leave it at that.



Port O'Brien - All We Could Do Was Sing ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: I Woke Up Today, Close the Lid
Least Favorite Tracks: In Vino Veritas

1. I Woke Up Today
2. Stuck On A Boat
3. Fisherman's Son
4. Don't Take My Advice
5. Alive For Nothing
6. Pigeonhold
7. Will You Be There?
8. The Rooftop Song
9. In Vino Veritas
10. Close The Lid
11. Valdez

Ozzy Rules

Listening to: Black Sabbath - Paranoid

This was my soundtrack for cleaning the apartment this morning. I don't know about you, but in my mind, there's no better Saturday morning activity than playing some great music and cleaning the ol' homestead. I suppose I sound a bit like a housewife, but I'm comfortable with that. Nothing wrong with housewives. Except for the old, deceitful ones that tell tales. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, old wives and their tales are not to be trusted.

I used to listen to Black Sabbath back in junior high and a little bit of high school, and I always thought they were pretty cool. Particularly this album. It's the only one I currently own, because it's the best. Definitely my favorite Black Sabbath album. It's for those times you want to be a rebel without really being much of a rebel.



Black Sabbath - Paranoid ★★★★★★★★★✩

Favorite Tracks:War Pigs, Paranoid, Planet Caravan, Iron Man, Fairies Wear Boots
Least Favorite Tracks: Rat Salad

1. War Pigs
2. Paranoid
3. Planet Caravan
4. Iron Man
5. Electric Funeral
6. Hand of Doom
7. Rat Salad
8. Fairies Wear Boots

Ahhh, Rural Alberta

Listening to: The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns

The Rural Alberta Advantage are a Toronto band that sing about rural Alberta. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Nah, it's ok, the lead guy is Albertan, so, I'll let him vouch for his bandmates. From the sounds of the album, they're pretty cool. It's amazing how close the singer's voice resembles that of Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum. But not in a bad way. He sounds like him, but not in a gross mimicking way. I really like this album, but it may be because I'm from Alberta, and any time Alberta is mentioned in any form of media, I immediately swell with provincial pride. Which, is sort of silly, when I consider the fact that I'm mostly not a fan of what makes Alberta the province that it is. Sure, I love mountains, and the Oilers, and 10 month winters (not this year, apparently) but I'm starting to think I don't really support the whole oil industry and the general feeling of Albertans and their money. I don't really know enough about those things, though, so this is just a theory.

Great album, great day, grrrrr-eat.



The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns ★★★★★★★★✩✩

Favorite Tracks: The Ballad of the Raa, Don't Haunt This Place, Frank AB, Edmonton
Least Favorite Tracks: Four Night Rider

1. The Ballad of the RAA
2. Rush Apart
3. The Deathbridge in Lethbridge
4. Don't Haunt This Place
5. The Deadroads
6. Drain the Blood
7. Luciana
8. Frank, AB
9. The Air
10. Sleep All Day
11. Four Night Rider
12. Edmonton
13. In the Summertime

Teddy, Teddy, Teddy

Listening to: The Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again

Jennie and I have been watching a lot of How I Met Your Mother over the last couple of weeks. There are some things I like about the show (Marshall, sometimes Lily) and there are many things I dislike about the show (Ted, Ted's stupid face, Ted's stupid brain). First of all, what the hell? The premise, that of a father telling his children the story of how he met their mother, is retarded. Not because a father shouldn't tell his kids how he met their mother, but because, in this case, he is not telling them how he met their mother. He is telling them about hundreds of random girls he's slept with and how he wasted most of his youth in a bar. If my dad was telling me stories about the time he almost had a three-way and how great it was to live in New York because there were so many easy women, I think I would a) tell him to get a life and quit living in the past and b) throw up on him.

The other part about the show that bothers me is that Ted is a selfish dickwad but everybody seems to think he's a saint. He breaks up with women willy-nilly and cheats and is generally exactly what you'd expect from some juicebag that hangs out in a bar every night. So, I guess I'm not really surprised by this revelation, but it does suck. Because I'm sure there are people all over attempting to emulate this great life that these guys have, only to find out that it is ridiculous and empty. Oh well. I don't really care, I suppose, it's just a frustrating show to watch. I guess I'll stop.

The Album Leaf is up in my 'Top Five Artists to Fall Asleep To', and not in a bad way. It (he) has a great sound, and it's so relaxing and beautiful that it is a perfect segue into a delightful dreamland of magic. I suppose this album is not my favorite of his, but it is still a very nice album to have in the background or simply as the soundtrack to a calm Saturday afternoon at home. Lovely sounds.


The Album Leaf - Shine

The Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: The Light, Always For You, Shine, Red-Eye
Least Favorite Tracks: Into the Sea

1. The Light
2. Always For You
3. Shine
4. Writings on the Wall
5. Red-Eye
6. See In You
7. Into the Sea
8. Wherever I Go
9. Wishful Thinking
10. Broken Arrow

Why Do I Suck?

Listening to: The National - Boxer

I've been a part of a relatively competitive fantasy football league for the past two years and I'm starting to wonder if I'm really cut out for it. I find myself so easily swayed by public opinion on who will do well and who I should have on my team, but once I draft my players, I become an over-protective mother-type, defending their honor when they've played poorly (frickin' LaDainian Tomlinson) and unwilling to let them out of my home when I really should (stupid Brian Westbrook). It means nothing to them, and it should mean nothing to me, but once a player is on my team, I feel this sense of camaraderie with them. Plus, I get worried sick that if I trade a player away or drop a player, that player will inevitably prove invaluable in the long run. Which is somewhat understandable but mostly retarded. As mother hen for a group of 15 hulking NFL players, I watch out for them, treat them with caution, and generally turn into a total pussy. I think part of my problem stems from a feeling that if I trade away my players, winning will mean nothing to me. Like when teams stock up on highly-skilled, highly-priced players right before a playoff push, a part of me feels that, should they win the championship, it shouldn't be valued, because it was just a random group of players that had no team bond and didn't deserve to win over a team that had stayed together all year through thick and thin. My record over the last two seasons, a dismal 9-13, would suggest that I'm a moron.

But, my heart tells me I'm a winner. Here's to another season below .500, fellas.

Ok, so, The National: they're great. We all know that, but why are they so great? They're music is awesome. But why? Because it's so good. End of questions. This album is dramatic, lush, dark, haunting, and really worth the time spent listening. More and more, I find that if I let an album keep playing over the period of a few days or weeks or months, that the music often sounds better to me, like I've created a bond with it somehow, which sounds totally gay, but I think it's the same with my football players. The longer we've been together, the more I grow to appreciate them and the more reticent I am to let them go. Which is why this album has become one of my favorites of the last year or so. I'm its mother as well. And what a proud mother I am.



The National - Boxer ★★★★★★★★★✩

Favorite Tracks: Fake Empire, Squalor Victoria, Ada
Least Favorite Tracks: Racing Like A Pro

1. Fake Empire
2. Mistaken For Strangers
3. Brainy
4. Squalor Victoria
5. Green Gloves
6. Slow Show
7. Apartment Story
8. Start A War
9. Guest Room
10. Racing Like A Pro
11. Ada
12. Gospel

Wrestling is Sick

Listening to: Kevin Devine - Put Your Ghost To Rest

We watched The Wrestler for the first time last night. It was sort of what I expected, but I will admit I did not foresee all of the bloody wrestling. The staples were probably my least favorite part. Actually, pretty much the whole scene with that sick hillbilly wrestler was super gross. I guess that's why backyard wrestling is about on par with bringing a handgun into a club smuggled in your pants and shooting yourself in the leg.

Speaking of legs, I went in for an MRI on my knee on Wednesday, and boy, that was a brutal experience. Not because MRI's are painful or frightening really (not on the knee, anyway), but because I've had this weird breathing thing that comes around every now and then, on and off, since about 2004, where I find it harder and harder to get a full breath in and really get the sensation of having taken a full breath. It's super frustrating sometimes, and this experience only made it worse. I was laying on the machine, or in, I guess, and I wasn't allowed to move at all. After a couple of minutes, the need for a full breath had arisen, and I was afraid that if I tried to get my full breath I would move too much, because sometimes it takes some effort. So, I tried to just breathe normally. Unfortunately, left unsatisfied, my lungs kept getting more and more angry with me, and I really thought I was going to drown without being in any water. Anyway, this lasted for about 15-20 minutes and then I could breathe. A bit of an anticlimactic ending, but the beginning and middle of the story were some torturous times for me. It was awful.

But don't worry, I'm OK.

Previous to this week, I'd only listened to the last track on this Kevin Devine CD, because it was pretty good. He's a sort of an alt-pop-folksy kinda guy, and he's not bad at it. Unfortunately, not bad in the alt-pop-folksy genre can often mean boring and forgettable. That is the case here. They're sort of nice songs while listening to them, but afterwards, I can't remember any of them at all and almost forget that I had even listened to them. Sorry Kevin.


Kevin Devine - Heaven Bound and Glory Be

Kevin Devine - Put Your Ghost To Rest ★★★★✩✩✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Heaven Bound and Glory Be
Least Favorite Tracks: Pretty much all the rest

1. Brooklyn Boy
2. Trouble
3. You're Trailing Yourself
4. Me and My Friends
5. Like Cursing Kids
6. A Billion Bees
7. Less Yesterday
8. Go Haunt Someone Else
9. Refugees
10. You'll Only End Up Joining Them
11. Just Stay
12. Heaven Bound and Glory Be

The National Film Board Changed My Life

Listening to: Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase

Ok, I'm a little bit tipsy after some wine, so try to ignore any spelling mistakes or outrageous comments, alright? Great.

My cousin Nate introduced me to Boards of Canada back in the fall of 2004, and I've nursed a secret love for them ever since. I remember the night I first heard a Boards of Canada song. Nate and I were out talking in the driveway at my parents house where we both lived. No, that can't be right, he didn't live there in 2004. Probable he introduced them to me later, also I'm drunk. Anyway, the point is that we were talking in the driveway, which eventually lead to talking while walking, which has lead to many, many walks, each lasting at least 5 hours, generally in the wee morning hours, around the old neighborhood out in the trees of Sherwood Forest. In this case, I remember Nate telling me I had to hear this song by a band that reminded me of the National Film Board. (Speaking of which, I recently downloaded the NFB iPod app and it is blowing my mind. The memories from watching all of these classics are unbelievable! The Big Snit! The Hockey Sweater! Walking! Wow, the National Film Board of Canada is truly a national treasure.) Anyway, Nate played 'Dayvan Cowboy (Odd Nosdam Remix)' for me that night, and I was changed. The song was gorgeous and brought to mind all of those old memories of watching NFB films on CBC as a lad. The music taps into the spirit of the NFB and completely transported me back to that time. (The band has said that that is what they were going for, so I guess I'm saying that it worked.) You all need to listen to some Boards of Canada. I don't care if you don't want to. It's an experience. And, yeah, sure, those guys aren't actually Canadian, but who cares? They have somehow captured my childhood in music, so, in my mind, they are as Canadian as they come.

Oh Canada!

P.S. I have this album on vinyl, and let me tell you. The first time I listened to it in my room on a crappy old cabinet stereo I bought at Value Village, it blew my mind. If ever there was a modern band made to be played on vinyl, it's Boards of Canada.


Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy

Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase ★★★★★★★★✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Chromakey Dreamcoat, Dayvan Cowboy,
Least Favorite Tracks: Tears from the Compound Eye

1. Into the Rainbow Vein
2. Chromakey Dreamcoat
3. Satellite Anthem Icarus
4. Peacock Tail
5. Dayvan Cowboy
6. A Moment of Clarity
7. '84 Pontiac Dream
8. Sherbert Head
9. Oscar See Through Red Eye
10. Ataronchronon
11. Hey Saturday Sun
12. Constants Are Changing
13. Slow This Bird Down
14. Tears From The Compound Eye
15. Farewell Fire

Stuck on Repeat

Listening to: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Jennie really loves this album and has had it on repeat for the better part of the last two weeks, because that's what she likes to do. When she really likes something, she gets as much of it as she can while she likes it. Which is why we got married. We're still together, so I guess she still likes me. Just kidding. We're in love.

I had my doubts in regards to Bon Iver because I'd heard it was reminiscent of Iron & Wine, and I get very sleepy when I listen to Iron & Wine. So, eventually, I listened to the album. It wasn't really until Jennie started playing it non-stop that I realized how good this album is. (And, for that matter, I found some live recordings of Iron & Wine, and they blew me away.) Maybe I'm some sort of lo-fi, minimalist guy, but I really like this album because it's pretty simple. It's got beautiful guitar, and an at-first unnerving falsetto voice leading the way into some wonderfully crafted and mournfully lovely songs. I should say that while making an excellent rainy-day soundtrack, there is also a real uplifting sound here as well. This is a really excellent album, and one that will likely keep a spot in our ever-increasing playlist of great music here at the homestead.



Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago ★★★★★★★★✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Flume, Skinny Love, The Wolves (Act I and II), Creature Fear, For Emma
Least Favorite Tracks: Team

1. Flume
2. Lump Sum
3. Skinny Love
4. The Wolves (Act I and II)
5. Blindsided
6. Creature Fear
7. Team
8. For Emma
9. re: Stacks

Metaphorically Speaking

Listening to: Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels

So, I was thinking about blogging, and I was trying to focus on coming up with hilarious metaphors and similes to employ in my writing and then I came upon this list of metaphors and similes teachers had found in high school English essays over the years. And I realized I can't top any of them. Here's the list:

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.

2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.

3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli, and he was room temperature Canadian beef.

5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.

6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.

8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.

9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.

10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.

11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another
city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30

12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.

13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.

14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.

16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.

18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.

19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.

20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.

21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.

23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.

24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.

25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

Pretty good, right? Only in my dreams could I write gold like that.

Anyway, I've been listening to a lot of this new Great Lake Swimmers album as I feel I have to seeing as it was my first ever album purchase from iTunes. A big moment for me. So far, I think I like it. It's fuller and better than their previous stuff, which at times made me want to go to sleep. The face that I've stayed awake for the whole album on several listenings is a good sign. Probably my opinion of it will change as I get to know it more, but for now, it's pretty good.


Great Lake Swimmers - Pulling on a Line

Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels ★★★★★★★✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Palmistry, Pulling On a Line, She Comes to Me in Dreams
Least Favorite Tracks: River's Edge

1. Palmistry
2. Everything is Moving So Fast
3. Pulling On a Line
4. Concrete Heart
5. She Comes to Me in Dreams
6. The Chorus in the Underground
7. Singer Castle Bells
8. Stealing Tomorrow
9. Still
10. New Light
11. River's Edge
12. Unison Falling Into Harmony
13. It's Too Late
14. The Storms Are On the Ocean

This Is just a Brief Post

Listening to: Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

Who are Richard and Linda Thompson, you may ask? Well, honestly, your guess is as good as mine. The only thing I know about them is that they made a very excellent album. There's something about British folk-rock that puts me right, mentally, physically, spiritually, all of it. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, tender, rollicking album that just makes me wish there were more collaborations between highly talented, sensible guitarists and female vocalists who could sing the universe to a standstill. I love this album.

High praise from a guy who just bought the latest Weezer.



Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight ★★★★★★★★★✩

Favorite Tracks: When I Get to the Border, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Down Where the Drunkards Roll
Least Favorite Tracks: The Great Valerio

1. When I Get to the Border
2. The Calvary Cross
3. Withered and Died
4. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
5. Down Where the Drunkards Roll
6. We Sing Hallelujah
7. Has He Got a Friend For Me?
8. The Little Beggar Girl
9. The End of the Rainbow
10. The Great Valerio

Make Me Dance, Mr. Byrne

Listening to: Talking Heads - Remain in Light

As a child, Halloween was always appreciated (particularly the vast stores of candy acquired) though I never really found myself really looking forward to it or really excited about it. Maybe I never put the time or effort into it (aside from the year I went as a toilet, complete with functioning lid which the candy-givers had to lift in order to deposit my candy), or maybe living in Edmonton the idea of walking around in generally freezing late-October weather in the dark evening simply wasn't that appealing to me. In spite of this, I do have fond memories of Halloween. Unfortunately, most of them are from the past few years, and pretty well all include some form of crossdressing on my part. For instance, several years ago I went as Ananias and Sapphira, being half man and half woman. Back in '05, I attempted to pull off a half-assed Ms. Pacman costume. And in 2008, I was the Palin half of a McCain-Palin costume with my wife. Now, I'm not going to speculate, but one could reasonably make some assumptions regarding some possible subconscious activities going on here, but one mustn't do that, mustn't one?

Speaking of Talking Heads, I've listened to some of their work in my day, and I've yet to really get into it. Though, I do admit that this album is quite good. The constant beats with their African influence and the guitars under David Byrne's oft-confusing, occasionally intriguing lyrics serve their purpose well. If their purpose is to make me want TO DANCE MY LIMBS OFF. No, really, it is pretty easy to get caught up in the rhythm of this album, and in the middle of it, you get to experience the treat of "Once in a Lifetime". Talking Heads, the jury remains out on you until further listenings. Good luck in those future times. I wish you nothing but the best.



Talking Heads - Remain in Light ★★★★★★★✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Crosseyed and Painless, Once in a Lifetime
Least Favorite Tracks: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)

1. Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
2. Crosseyed and Painless
3. The Great Curve
4. Once in a Lifetime
5. Houses in Motion
6. Seen and Not Seen
7. Listening Wind
8. The Overload

Sasky, I Love Thee

Listening to: Stevie Wonder - Innervisions

Sometimes I forget about Saskatchewan, and after taking a trip to the fabled province of gold, it seems that sometimes Saskatchewan forgets about itself as well. The transition between Alberta and Saskatchewan was hardly noticeable, except for one glaring problem. Well, actually a non-glaring problem, I suppose. You see, all of the signs on Saskatchewan's highways have a problem with their reflective material wearing off, so if you happen to be driving through at night, any pertinent information you may have required (where to exit, how fast to go, how long 'til you're out of the province, where the hell you are) is pretty well impossible to decipher. You have about a 1/32nd of a second in which to read the sign, when you are almost perfectly parallel to it. Needless to say, we missed several exits on our way to the lovely metropolis of Moose Jaw, but we made it in the end.

Part of me thinks that they have not updated their signs in 50 years or so because it's a secret ploy to get people to stay in their province. People drive around getting further up and further in and eventually are forced to settle down in Regina because they can't get out. I wonder what percentage of Saskatchewan residents were displaced from their previous province, forced to sell their home via their new Saskatchewan land-line, and have all their possessions driven to them (which would take weeks, and eventually the movers would end up moving in with them). I'd bet it's close to 50%, because really, between that and being born there, why else would anyone live there?

Nah, I'm just kidding. All love, Sasky.

I've never really listened to Stevie Wonder, partly because in my youth I assumed he and Ray Charles were the same person and I'd listened to Ray Charles, so I was good. Turns out they're different people. It's embarrassing to admit that, but I was fairly ignorant in regards to jazz, funk, soul, and pretty well any music that wasn't made by middle to upper-class white folk. Which I think can be attributed to negligent parenting. Right? Right? Anyway, this is the first Stevie Wonder album I've owned and listened to, and I chose well. This is a fantastic album. Stevie, where have you been all my life? Oh, that's right, your greatest success was all before I was born. Mr. Wonder runs the proverbial gamut as far as song topics go, bouncing from drugs to hard city-life to Eastern religion to political corruption all in the span of 9 songs and 45 minutes of music. But what a delicious ride along the gamut it is. The musicianship that this guy possesses is pretty mind-blowing, considering he plays virtually every instrument, has a voice of liquid gold, and has been blind from birth.

Hooray, Stevie!

P.S. The album art for this is glorious as well. Hooray, Stevie!



Stevie Wonder - Innervisions ★★★★★★★★★✩

Favorite Tracks: Living for the City, Golden Lady, He's Misstra Know-it-all
Least Favorite Tracks: All in Love is Fair

1. Too High
2. Visions
3. Living for the City
4. Golden Lady
5. Higher Ground
6. Jesus Children of America
7. All in Love is Fair
8. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
9. He's Misstra Know-it-all

What a Juicebag

Listening to: Ryan Adams - 29

I've decided (not that it really matters, but just in case you were really concerned) that I'm going to begin simply going randomly through my music rather than in the A-Z format I originally planned. Sometimes I get bored listening to the same artist for a few posts in a row. So now I just close my eyes and click randomly in iTunes. It's science.

Ryan Adams is one of my favorite musicians. I know he can be a major juicebag (I realized I say 'douchebag' too often, so I've been substituting 'juicebag', as it assuages my conscience) but I still love him. And, of course, it is a little weird that he's now married to Mandy Moore, but she used to be cool, right? Sorta? No? Well, we can at least agree that A Walk to Remember was probably the pinnacle of film-making, so that's alright.

I discovered Ryan Adams one day way back in 'ought-three while in Bible school. I stumbled upon Gold and was immediately hooked. Since then, I've picked up every release and have become a bona fide fan. As such a fan, I was at once pleased and displeased upon hearing that he was releasing three albums in 2005; pleased because it meant more to listen to, displeased because that kind of proliferation can only mean less time and effort put into each. Unfortunately, this album was the last of the aforementioned three, and, as assumed, was the least prepared. It's not really that bad, in fact, it's not bad at all, but compared to some of his previous stuff, you can sorta tell it was pretty rushed. I still really like it, though. Of course, I'm a little biased (see: bona fide fan).

Anyway, I like this album. It's got a couple great tunes, some good ones, and some forgettable ones, but overall deserves to be recognized for how good it sounds.

Ryan Adams - 29 ★★★★★✩✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Night Birds, Blue Sky Blues, Carolina Rain
Least Favorite Tracks: Voices

1. Twenty Nine
2. Strawberry Wine
3. Night Birds
4. Blue Sky Blues
5. Carolina Rain
6. Starlite Diner
7. The Sadness
8. Elizabeth, You Were Born to Play That Part
9. Voices

An Ode to Cinema City 12 (A Brief Ode)

Listening to: Various Artists - 'The Last Kiss' Soundtrack

Being a third wheel is awkward at the best of times, so when I accompanied my buddy Michael and his then-girlfriend, Kim, to see The Last Kiss at the old Cinema City 12 (oh, how I miss you, Movies 12 is so far away) on the southside it was bound to be an at least slightly uncomfortable experience. Especially because I could never figure out if Kim liked me at all. I can't remember why the three of us went together, I just remember how awkward things got after the movie.

It was a pretty good flick, I guess. I didn't love it, but I guess all the hype from Garden State could've given me an inflated view of how good The Last Kiss would be, so maybe the movie isn't to blame. Mike seemed to think it was dumb, and Kim loved it. I recall looking over and seeing tears streaming down her face towards the end of the movie, and thinking, "Wow." So, we left the theatre, and got back into Mike's now-demolished Acura and things got uncomfortable as we discussed the film. Mike said he thought it was ridiculous and gave his reasons, to which Kim responded angrily, "You just didn't like it because it was about you." Now, at this point, I'd like to mention that I was sitting in the middle of the backseat with a perfect vantage point for everything going on. The situation digressed from bad to worse and I was the unfortunate spectator to an incredibly long, boring, and loud fight. Eventually we dropped Kim off, which I thought was hilarious, and went out to have fun on our own. So, I guess it worked out for me. (Selfish, selfish, selfish.)

This soundtrack, like most, has its highs and lows (mostly highs, in this case), but Zach Braff has put together a pretty good little mixtape of the hipsters, cools, and indie-trenders of the day. It's a nice album to listen to when you want to hear some mellow indie-rock and have the tunes be catchy and nice to listen to. It is reminiscent of The OC Mixes we've previously covered, with several overlapping artists and one overlapping song, but that doesn't make it any less good. I like this album. Good work, everyone. You've pleased me.



Various Artists - 'The Last Kiss' Soundtrack ★★★★★★★★✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Star Mile, Warning Sign, Hold You In My Arms, Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise), Paperweight
Least Favorite Tracks: Chocolate

1. Chocolate
2. Star Mile
3. Pain Killer
4. Warning Sign
5. Ride
6. El Salvador
7. Hide and Seek
8. Reason Why
9. Hold You in My Arms
10. Prophecy
11. Paper Bag
12. Today's the Dar
13. Arms of a Woman
14. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise)
15. Paperweight

Akron, Ohio: City of Wonder

Listening to: Akron/Family - Meek Warrior

Man, I gotta tell you, Akron/Family is freaking me out. The first song on this album is insane. For me, it's waaaayyy too all-over-the-place too enjoy at all. I hate that first song so much. And that's why these guys freak me out, because I really like the second song. But then I don't like the next one. Why you do me like this, Akron/Family? I don't understand!

Whenever I think of Akron (the city) I think of Lebron James. He played high school ball at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. I'm glad I didn't live in Akron, because there was no way I was making that team. Jeez. Anyway, I just looked up Akron on Wikipedia (classic move!), and found out that Akron is also home to the LARGEST FREESTANDING SCOREBOARD IN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL! WOW! 56¼ feet by 68 feet! WOW!

So, this album is considerably different than the previous Akron/Family album I listened to. Aside from the first song, there seems to be significantly less radical experimentation on this album. Actually, that's not true. There are some crazy tracks on here, I guess it's just the presence of a few mellower, quieter tracks that calm the album down a bit. I suppose, on 3rd and 4th listenings, I may be able to cut through the noise more effectively, but sometimes an album doesn't really give you a reason to listen to it a whole lot. I mean, I like this album OK, but there's really nothing on it (like on the last one) that makes me want to pursue it further. There's no hidden natural beauty urging me to go ahead and have one more listen. It's just too much work sometimes.

Come on, Akron/Family, I'm here for a good time, not a long time.



Akron/Family - Meek Warrior ★★★★✩✩✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Gone Beyond
Least Favorite Tracks: The rest, I suppose

1. Blessing Force
2. Gone Beyond
3. Meek Warrior
4. No Space In This Realm
5. The Lightning Bolt of Compassion
6. The Rider (Dolphin Song)
7. Love and Space

Chick Stuff

Listening to: Various Artists - 'Magnolia' Soundtrack

After quickly looking through the rest of the soundtracks I have, I realized that, with the exception of The Last Kiss, I listened to all of them before I saw any of their movies. Now that we've got that fact out of the way, we can progress.

I know I told Ian that I was done with reviewing Aimee Mann records, and, while this was partially true in that there are no more records released under her name, this Magnolia soundtrack might as well be hers. Not that I'm complaining, as she's quickly, over the past couple weeks, become my favorite female singer-songwriter. As I think I mentioned somewhere in the last little while, I've not seen Magnolia, and I don't really know if I will watch it any time in the near future. Not because I think it's going to be awful, but just because I don't feel the need to see it. Plus, my mind always went like this when I heard anything about the movie: "Oh, Magnolia, isn't that that movie from the late 80's with Sally Field? Or no, that's called Steel Vaginas right? Anyway, I don't want to watch a movie about vaginas."

And here we are today.

This soundtrack, as far as soundtracks go, is quite good. It's got a couple Supertramp classics on there, and pretty much everything else works, aside from Gabrielle's Dreams, which I think is pretty indicative of everything that was wrong with mid to late-90's girl-pop shit. It's brutal, and definitely drags this album's average down with it.



Various Artists - 'Magnolia' Soundtrack ★★★★★★★✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: One, Wise Up, Goodbye Stranger
Least Favorite Tracks: Momentum, Dreams

1. One
2. Momentum
3. Build That Wall
4. Deathly
5. Driving Sideways
6. You Do
7. Nothing is Good Enough
8. Wise Up
9. Save Me
10. Goodbye Stranger
11. Logical Song
12. Dreams
13. Magnolia

Are They Wizards?

Listening to: Akron/Family - Love is Simple

If love is so simple, why is this album so hard? There is so much going on in this album, it's impossible to even ingest it all in one sitting. I've listened to this album now 4 or 5 times, and I'll admit, it has been growing on me. But these guys are outrageous. I suppose they'd best be lumped in with the very vague musical category of New Weird America, but there is just too much here to nail them down to one specific sound or intent. With all the tribal drums, chants, acoustic guitar interludes, banjo strumming, a capella vocal parts, and general nonsense occurring, you'd think that this album would be irritating, and you'd be partly right. The problem is that while it can be grating, there's something supremely satisfying about this music. In that sense, the title works, as they're trying to send a message of love and natural beauty, which you really have to tap into in order to really love this CD. I don't know if I ever saw myself listening casually to guys like these, but, like I said, the repeated listenings have afforded me a greater appreciation for the good parts of this album while lessening my distaste for the not-so-great parts. I can't say I recommend this album wholeheartedly, because I'm sure many people would find it totally inaccessible (not to say I'm one of the open-minded who can access it) and I don't want to be that guy who goes around giving recommendations to totally inane, relatively obscure music just to sound cool. 'Cause I'm not.

Congratulations, Akron/Family, you've confounded me.



Akron/Family - Love is Simple ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Love, Love, Love (Everyone), Ed is a Portal, There's So Many Colors
Least Favorite Tracks: Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music for Moms

1. Love, Love, Love (Everyone)
2. Ed is a Portal
3. Don't Be Afraid, You're Already Dead
4. I've Got Some Friends
5. Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music for Moms
6. There's So Many Colors
7. Crickets
8. Phenomena
9. Pony's OG
10. Of All the Things
11. Love, Love, Love (Reprise)

Pothead Cougars (Leopards, Maybe)

Listening to: Various Artist - 'Masked and Anonymous' Soundtrack

I went to a Bob Dylan concert in the summer before grade 12 and it was alright. The seats were pretty brutal, on the far left side of Rexall Place, so I was pretty sure I was never going to be able to turn to the right again after the concert. Obviously Bobby put on a great performance, but the real showmen were the 7 or 8 middle-aged women a few rows in front of us, stoned out of their minds. If you ever get the chance to see any moms get high, make sure you watch. Even just imagine your own mom smoking some marijuana and you'll probably come up with some pretty hilarious visuals. Right now I'm picturing ol' Carol drinking Ranch salad dressing right out of the bottle. Hilarious, right?

Anyway, these ladies, unmistakable in their leopard-print, were having the time of their lives. Of course, it's always fun until someone loses an eye--or falls down the stairs on their way to the little girls' room. At first, we felt bad for her, but then we didn't.

Now, what we've got here is another case of having listened to the soundtrack before seeing the movie, but in this case, I have yet to see Masked and Anonymous. I think I'd like to see it, simply because of the sheer number of celebrities making an appearance. I mean, look at this list:

Bob Dylan
Jeff Bridges
Penelope Cruz
John Goodman
Jessica Lange
Luke Wilson
Ed Harris
Val Kilmer
Cheech Marin
Chris Penn
Giovanni Ribisi
Mickey Rourke
Christian Slater

I guess people really wanted to be in Bob's movie. And, if the soundtrack is any indication, they were somewhat right to want that. By that, I mean that this album is alright. It's made up of Dylan songs, some performed by him, some covered by lesser known artists. The problem with the album is that many of the covers kinda suck. The Dylan tracks are, as usual, pretty great, so they're really the saving grace on this CD. All in all, I guess listening to this album really doesn't make me want to see the movie any more or any less. Which could be a good or bad thing. Duh.



Various Artists - 'Masked and Anonymous' Soundtrack ★★★★★✩✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Down in the Flood, It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, Cold Irons Bound,
Least Favorite Tracks: My Back Pages, Come Una Pietra Scalciata (Like A Rolling Stone)

1. My Back Pages
2. Gotta Serve Somebody
3. Down In The Flood
4. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
5. Most of the Time
6. On A Night Like This
7. Diamond Joe
8. Come Una Pietra Scalciata (Like A Rolling Stone)
9. One More Cup of Coffee
10. Non Dirle Che Non E' Cosi' (If You See Her, Say Hello)
11. Dixie
12. Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
13. Cold Irons Bound
14. City of Gold

Richard Milhouse Nixon: Toughest Guy of All

Listening to: Aimee Mann - Whatever

Aimee Mann wins the award for the "Album With The Most Contractions In The Song Titles". Not really, 'cause that award doesn't exist in any physical sense, but she does have almost half the titles on this album incorporating some kind of contraction. Plus, are the contractions like 'should've, could've, would've, and must've' technically allowed? I always thought they were, but the spell-check here at good ol' Blogger seems to disallow 'should've, could've, and must've'. Maybe that's just preference. It's nice to know that Blogger has opinions on things. Hey, Blogger, what do you think about Richard Nixon? Shucks, it clammed up. But hey, what a perfect segue into my next thought!

I was reading some Hunter S. Thompson this past spring, specifically Part 2 of The Great Shark Hunt, in which he has a number of articles and essays on Nixon and Watergate. While I enjoyed reading it, I realized I really had no idea what he was talking about. Watergate has always been this vague thing to me, and I've never really known what the heck it was all about. This week, I decided to change all that. Towards the end of summer, I purchased a book, All the President's Men, by the two Washington Post reporters that really broke the whole Watergate story in order to inform myself. I started reading it this week, and it is just blowing my mind! What a crazy story it's been so far! I can't believe half the stuff I read, because it just seems so outrageous and fictional. It's proved to be a very interesting read, because even though I (sort of) know the end result, the incredibly convoluted and ridiculous plot is so thrilling and hilarious and is almost too good to believe. People being caught in lies left, right, and center; who knew government officials screwing the pooch on such a massive level could make for great reading? Well, I guess anybody who knows anything could probably make that leap, but man, this book is highly enjoyable.

This album is Aimee Mann's first album, and it's my favorite of hers. And, I should probably clarify that my rating system is not necessarily very good or trustworthy. I'm not great at really critically listening and determining the musical or lyrical worth of any given album, so my ratings are basically whether or not (and how much) I liked the album. Maybe I'm some sort of pussy, but I find myself really liking the work of Aimee Mann. Sorry, tough guys, I have to resign.



Aimee Mann - Whatever ★★★★★★★✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: I Should've Known, Jacob Marley's Chain, I've Had It
Least Favorite Tracks: Fifty Years After the Fair

1. I Should've Known
2. Fifty Years After the Fair
3. 4th of July
4. Could've Been Anyone
5. Put Me On Top
6. Stupid Thing
7. Say Anything
8. Jacob Marley's Chain
9. Mr. Harris
10. I Could've Hurt You Now
11. I Know There's A Word
12. I've Had It
13. Way Back When