1-18-08

The suspense is killing me.

Reflections on Cohen

Taken from Leonard Cohen's Book Of Longing, which I wrote about in a previous post.

Pardon Me

Pardon me, lords and ladies,
if I do not think of myself
as the disease.
Pardon me if I recieve the Holy Spirit
without telling you about it.
Pardon me,
Commissars of the West,
if you do not think
I have suffered enough.

They're baaack...

All New York and New Jersey dwellers. Get your asses out to see Mute Math On October 18th, at Irving Plaza. Trust me on this.

Consistent Inconsistencies

In what began as an attempt to break down barriers and smash the shit out of "stereotypes" that label and box people in, this website provides great relief for me. You never know what you'll get. And I like it that way. Sometimes you may read about music, books, life, God, and every other thing I happen to be into at the moment I type on this computer. You see, there really is no agenda here. It's mainly to put out what's been floating in this complex head of mine. So if you're looking for a consistent flow of things, you won't get one. I can't be pinned down to one thing in life (except my awesome wife), so don't expect that here. If you do happen to benefit or get enlightened from what you read, I'm grateful. I have visions and dreams just like everyone else. I could probably make a good cult leader, but I don't have enough time on my hands. I would love to be in a world where things like pollution, oppression, racism, and poverty are non-existent. But it's a pretty fucked up world. We can just work and hope for the better.

If I had an agenda, it would have been evident by now. If I sat down and said, "I don't like the Iraq war, so I'm gonna start a website to rant", then you can label this an "anti-war website". But it's not. Like I said, I hate labels. They fucking scare me. From the little kid who is quiet that gets labelled "shy", to the artist who is a Christian, but somehow gets the label "Christian artist" slapped on their back (a big shout out to Mute Math for helping to stop such nonsense). Anyway, I'm happy with the direction this site has been going. Yes, a lot of the time you will read about music and books, because those happen to be some of the passions in my life. But you'll also get to read other things too. I just can't say what those things will be. It depends on which thought in my head is screaming the loudest to get out. So come here and enjoy what gets posted. Invite your friends, lovers, family, and neighbors too. The more, the merrier. It feeds my ego and rekindles the creative flame within. Hahaha...

Peace and love...

300

300
Dark Horse Comics

"This is SPARTA!!!"

I remember when I first saw the movie in the theater. That one scene when King Leonidas shouted that line and booted the messenger of Xerxes into the pit gave me chills. For the rest of the film, I was in awe with what turned out to be one of the most intense movie experiences I ever had. It really made an impact on me. Not too long ago, I was strolling through the crackhouse for book lovers everywhere, Barnes and Noble. While there, I happened to see a book on the shelf with a cover that had the number 300, and a Spartan helmet on the front. I immediately opened it and flipped through this harcover, comic book version of the movie. And what an awesome book it is. The illustration is amazing in how it captured the emotion of the film. Someone who never saw the film can read through this and get the entire story, as all the important scenes are in here. I was never much of a comic book fan, but this version of the movie 300 is top notch. So I have 300 on DVD and now in the hardcover book version. All I need is a red robe, some killer abs, new sandals, and my Spartan training will be complete.

PREPARE FOR GLORY!!!

The Cinematics

The Cinematics
A Strange Education

I first saw these guys when they opened for Mute Math in NYC this past March. A couple of their songs caught my attention, but I wasn't really blown away. Maybe it was because I kept thinking, "Hurry the hell up and finish your set so I can see the band that I came to see play." But if I wasn't so impatient that night, who knows? Maybe they would've sounded different. After I went to that show, I started seeing their name over the internet, and heard clips of their songs that sounded somewhat familiar to what I heard that night. So I decided to check out the CD and see if I misjudged them. The album is not bad at all. Listening to their songs, I hear sounds influenced by Franz Ferdinand and little of The Cure. My favorite part of the album is the back-to-back songs Break and A Strange Education, Break basically has the singer talking about life sucking, and right after that comes the song A Strange Education which has him crying out for something out of desperation. Check these lyrics from the song:

"I've walked this long road
Trying to get home
To someone familiar
Like this voice on the phone

Oh, have you come for me?
Oh, have you come for me?

Pull me out of the ocean
Take me up in your arms again
Cast away, with the love you send
Such a strange education
Sends me into your arms again
Cast away, lost again"

So we got Franz Ferdinand, and now The Cinematics. Two bands from Scotland making an impact in the music scene. Time will tell if we'll get to see them put on a show together wearing kilts. You never know...

We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

Modest Mouse
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

This is one of these CD's I can't decide how I feel about it. I mean, there's the song Dashboard that caught my attention on the radio, which prompted me to get the album. But the rest of the songs are... I don't know. Sometimes the lead singer sounds like he's stoned or drunk out of his mind just goofing off on the microphone. He sounds like a drunk version of the singer for Talking Heads. It's not that it's a bad album, but I think it's one of those albums that you have to be in the right frame of mind, or a die hard fan, to enjoy. I guess if you're already a big fan of Modest Mouse, then you'd probably enjoy the album. If you're not already familiar with them, then I wouldn't start with We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Although the song Dashboard is a very catchy song, so I would recommend checking it out. But hey, I give them credit for trying to do something different other than "the norm".