Favorite Albums of 2011

20. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi-ROME: Remember that poster in your elementary school classroom that said something about shooting for the moon cos even if you miss you'll land among the stars? Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi made an album that, from what I've read, attempts to ape the music Ennio Morricone did for all of those great Clint Eastwood westerns. They sort of failed. They did succeed in making a pretty decent summertime album, however, especially when Norah Jones gets on the mic. Nothing beats "Roman Blue" though, a pristine instrumental cut that makes me think of beautiful people in 1960s style swimwear gracefully diving into pools. It sums up what's great about this album-laid back and spotless.

19. Peaking Lights-936: This husband and wife squad came through with a set of lo-fi tunes that could function as aural vicodin. The songs have long running times and may seem a bit repetitive, but it's a good kind of repetitive, sort of like watching laundry go round and round in the dryer.

18. Yuck-Yuck: Obviously heavily indebted to 90s alt rock, but when your songs are this good it doesn't matter. Just about every one on here is rad, and I hope they become the next Weezer or something.

17. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX-We're New Here: Just started listening to this one, but it's blowing my mind so much that I had to include it on this list. I'll admit that I've never listened to the original, and I will eventually, but for now I'll enjoy being floored by the opening track "I'm New Here" and the closing track "I'll Take Care of U." Can't wait for more from Jamie XX-everything he touches seems to turn to gold.

16. The War on Drugs-Slave Ambient: This is music that sounds definitively American. In it you can hear the earnestness of Bruce Springsteen and the meandering poetry of Bob Dylan. Sounds alright, but what really makes this a standout album are, like the title says, the touches of ambient music.

15. TV Girl-Benny and the Jetts: At only four songs and under ten minutes, this is by far the shortest item on this list, but certainly worthy of being on here. This duo from San Diego has crafted four perfect pop songs, each of which I couldn't keep out of my head during the later part of this year. My favorite is probably "Lizzy Come Back to Life," an ode to the deceased No Wave artist Lizzy Mercier Descloux.

14. Coldplay-Mylo Xyloto: Alright alright, I know. Coldplay aren't exactly held in highest esteem by many serious music fans, but I still like 'em regardless. This album is probably their most cohesive, and is a quick listen for me because all of the interludes between tracks make it flow nicely. There's even a touch of Balearic between "Paradise" and "Charlie Brown," my two favorite songs on here. Say what you want about the Rihanna song, but Ian Cohen made an interesting point in his Pitchfork review that pop tarts are who Coldplay are up against, so it makes sense for them to make a full blown R&B pop song.

13. Alex Turner-Submarine: I loved this movie, and love the six-song EP that goes with it. It starts off with some really balmy, swaying in the breeze sorts of tunes, and then closes with "Stuck on the Puzzle" and "Piledriver Waltz," two songs that bring to mind Dion's classic album Born to Be With You. The former is one of my favorite tracks of the year, a wispy chronicle of a bewitching woman.

12. Drake-Take Care: I'll start this off by stating that I like Drake's previous album, Thank Me Later, a lot better. On Take Care he can often be heard whining about the perils of fame, (See: "Marvin's Room") and it can get pretty annoying. "I had sex four times this week I'll explain/having some trouble adjusting to fame," he croons. This didn't work when Rivers Cuomo did it on "Tired of Sex," and it doesn't work here either. As much as I try to feel sorry for him or view this as a sort of character study, I can't. What does work is when Drizzy gets back to basics on tracks like "Make Me Proud" and "Lord Knows." The latter has an insane beat from Just Blaze and a great guest verse from Rick Ross.

11. Kendrick Lamar-Section.80: This guy is a phenomenal rapper, and I think he could end up becoming the next Kanye. Unlike many of his 2011 counterparts, he raps about issues that are more substantial than sex and weed, although he does touch on both. He claims to have had a dream in which Tupac encouraged him to rap, and he really does sound like a man on some sort of mission on this album. He has many negative things to stay about the Reagan administration, and none of this comes out more on "Hiiiipower," Section.80's closing track. "So get up off that slave ship/build your own pyramids write your own hieroglyphs," he spits. I should've shown this to my students when I was teaching them how to make a call to action at the end of a persuasive essay.

10. Arches-Wide Awake: This Philly foursome mine the sounds of Grizzly Bear and Real Estate on this, their first album, and the results are glorious. Opener "This Isn't a Good Night for Walking" is a definite highlight, and they manage to maintain this airy aesthetic for eight more tracks. Watch out for them in 2012: I saw them live a few weeks ago and they seem to be taking a turn towards Perfect From Now On era Built to Spill on their new material.

09. Future Islands-On the Water: I was pretty late to this band, so I've had this on repeat for the past few weeks to make up for lost time. The vocals are howling, the synths are more refreshing than an ocean mist, and that bass sound is sublime. The songs transition into one another brilliantly as well, especially into "Balance," my favorite track.

08. Julianna Barwick-The Magic Place: Legendary vibes on this thing. I've heard her referred to as the new Enya, but Enya never made me want to put on my headphones and listen to her album again and again. Julianna delivers the goods. I conjure up many images when I listen to The Magic Place, most of which include multiple characters from LOTR. I can just picture it now: "Frodo, where's that music comin' from? It's prettier than the curls danglin' from Rosie Cotton's head."

Yikes.

07. Cults-Cults: While this album was loaded with many songs that were already released, it still contained enough solid new material to keep my attention. I have a hard time describing exactly what makes this band great, but I think it boils down to the fact that they take music that sounds like it could be from the 1960s and refurbish it in a very tasteful way. There's also a sort of youthful exuberance here, especially on songs like "Bumper," which employs boy/girl vocals in a wonderfully playful way.

06. Destroyer-Kaputt: I hated this at first, and wondered why Dan Bejar would release a collection of coked-out 80s-sounding tunes. It wasn't until I was outside shoveling snow one morning that I really understood Kaputt, and this probably has everything to do with the fact that snow is clean and pure, just like the sounds on this album. The saxophone parts add a lot, and that moment on "Downtown" when he says "I was a four leaf clover/I was red rover on his way over to your place" is heavenly, although I'm not sure why. That's this whole album for me: Mysterious beauty that I don't think I'll ever fully comprehend, or really need to.

05. Florence & the Machine-Ceremonials: Like Coldplay, Flo is a unapologetic rafter shooter. I feel like I'm going to church whenever I listen to this thing, a church that is non-denominational and has lots of clapping and shouting. "Shake it Out" might be my favorite song of the year, and its inspirational message has been a vital part of my morning commute. She never comes down from the ceiling on Ceremonials' 12 tracks, and us average folks who need a little musical stimulation in the morning are thankful.

04. Tennis-Cape Dory: Part of my love for this record comes with my knowledge of the story behind it. A husband and wife sailed around the Atlantic and produced a bunch of catchy, sugary sweet pop songs. The whole idea sounds so romantic and delightful that I can't resist jumping on the Tennis bandwagon. On top of that, the guitar sound on here is very similar to that of the Walkmen, one of my favorite bands.

03. Smith Westerns-Dye It Blonde: Let's put aside the fact that Cullen Omori can't sing. Dye It Blonde has ten really great songs, all of which come complete with at least one sexy guitar lick. "Weekend" is great fun, and "Dance Away" is even greater fun. These guys are young and they make it look really easy to crank out ten hits in a row. Long-time fans will probably prefer their first, more lo-fi offering, but give me the full-bodied stuff any day.

02. Cut Copy-Zonoscope: I was really worried when I first heard that this was coming out. In Ghost Colours is one of my favorite albums EVER, and I thought that any future releases would pale in comparison. While Zonoscope didn't turn out to be as good, it's still worth listening to for tracks like "Need You Now" and "Pharaohs and Pyramids," songs that expand on the buildup and drop formula that made so many songs on their previous album great. And is there a song more ripe for singing along to than "Where I'm Going?" Yelling "YEAH YEAH YEAH WOOOO!" is a blast.

01. WU LYF-Go Tell Fire to the Mountain: These cats from Manchester sound like many good bands and no lousy ones. For 47 minutes they employ the powerful riffs of Explosions in the Sky, the barking vocals of Isaac Brock, and the light afrobeat of Vampire Weekend to create a sound all their own. Say what you will about frontman Ellery Roberts' posturing or possibly fabricated world weariness. These are fervent, cathartic anthems that demand to be enjoyed again and again.

One more from the notebook

Jotted down this quote from Graham Greene's The Heart of the Matter when I read it a few years ago:

"Point me out the happy man and I will point you out either extreme egotism, evil-or else an absolute ignorance."

Dayum. Part of me thinks he's right.

Summer 2011 Mix

1. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi-"Roman Blue"
2. Fort Lean-"Beach Holiday"
3. Ducktails-"Hamilton Road"
4. Hotel Mexico-"Dear Les Friends"
5. DJ Quik-"Luv of My Life"
6. Unknown Mortal Orchestra-"How Can U Luv Me"
7. The Rapture-"How Deep Is Your Love"
8. Cults-"Bumper"
9. The People's Temple-"Sons of Stone"
10. WU LYF-"We Bros"
11. Hooray for Earth-"No Love"
12. CSLSX-"Keep on Shining"
13. Pure X-"Don't Wanna Live, Don't Wanna Die"
14. Seapony-"Go Away"
15. unouomedude-"Frequency"
16. Ty Segall-"Goodbye Bread"
17. Gang Gang Dance-"Romance Layers"
18. Washed Out-"Eyes Be Closed"
19. The War on Drugs-"Baby Missiles"
20 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-"Heaven's Gonna Happen Now"
21. Dominique Young Unique-"Glamorous Touch"
22. StewRat-"Butt"
23. Tensnake-"Something About You"
24. Nicki Minaj-"Super Bass"
25. EMA-"Breakfast"

The Tough Alliance-"Holiday"

This is just brilliant. Like most of my favorite things, it's both funny and beautiful. Sure, the dancing is laughable and the singing is amateurish, but listen to the song. The lyrics are about going on a holiday with someone special, and the music sounds like pure bliss. I also feel a sort of bittersweet vibe, like the person might know that their holiday will come to an end soon. Reminds me of another track from Sweden:



It's called "Never Content" and has that same sort of sentimental joy that "Holiday" has. The fellas from Gothenburg really know how to make a listener swoon.

Julianna Barwick-The Magic Place

Simply put, The Magic Place is an incredibly enchanting album. It sounds like:
1. Heaven
2. Looking up at the sky when you're underwater
3. Birds
4. The feeling you get when you wake up on Saturday at 6 a.m. and realize it's the weekend and you don't have to go to work
5. Mermaids singing
6. Leaves blowing in the wind
7. Flowers blooming
8. Agony
9. Ecstasy
10. Life
11. Death
12. THE UNIVERSE

Vibe hard, dudes.

PJ Harvey-"Written On The Forehead"

Totally giving Pitchfork credit for this one, seeing that I had written PJ Harvey off as a sex-crazed wafer some time ago. In my defense, Rid of Me has a song called "Rub 'Til It Bleeds," which, um, yeah. Anywho, "Written On The Forehead" is a tremendous track, one that I haven't been able to keep my ears off of recently. It reminds me of a sunshower-sun's out, but dude, it's still raining. Rain comes here in form of the lyrics, which basically are about how we're all screwed and everything's going to hell. She cleverly uses a sample from the classic reggae tune "Blood and Fire" (Thanks again for the tip, Pfork) and spits lyrics like "Saw doves in the river who tried to swim away/Through tons of sewage fate written on their foreheads" to convey her grim message. I can't help but think of every one of my students when I hear that line.

Bestseller?

Now-deceased Swedish author Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, was adapted into award-winning Swedish films, and is about to be brought to the English-speaking world by waycool director David Fincher, fresh off of his smash hit about teh Facebook. I was drawn to these novels for several reasons: 1. They seemed to appeal to the masses in a new and edgy way. 2. There is much intrigue surrounding Larsson's death. 3. They're from Sweden, and nothing bad ever comes out of Sweden. I just finished the second book, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and I'm surprised at how un-amazing they are. It's not that they're bad books-I just can't see why I can find them in a cardboard display at CVS near the Blistex. These stories are brutally violent, excruciatingly detailed, and too long for their own good. They lack effective cliffhangers, and there have only been a handful of "Oh shit!" moments. A handful is not enough for 1200+ pages. Larsson's style isn't terribly engaging either. I realize that these are crime novels, but c'mon man. Dude made what could have been a rad fistfight seem like a shuffleboard match. And the fight scenes aren't the only things that are boring. How about the stance he takes? It pretty much boils down to this: Guys who rape gals are bad. Duuuuuh. We're aware, m'man. That's like making an argument in favor of organ donation or that Kim Jong-Il is an idiot. It's a safe statement to make, one that millions of readers would agree with.

Hmmmm.....maybe this is why 30 million copies have been sold.....

3:10 to Yuma

Playing Red Dead Redemption has made me appreciate Westerns in a new way. Seems like it shouldn't have taken a video game to make me warm up to the genre, but whatever. I've been watching lots of 'em recently, and 3:10 to Yuma is without a doubt the raddest one I've seen so far. Heck, it's one of the best movies I've ever seen, period. It had me on the edge of my couch from its fast beginning to its shocking conclusion, a rare feat for a movie to accomplish. It sort of had an "I'm gonna stand up and fight when everyone else is a coward" vibe to it, similar to High Noon. Russell Crowe and Ben Foster killed it as outlaws, and Christian Bale was, uh, well he was better than he usually is and didn't talk in the silly Batman voice. The score sounded like it was composed by a more modern Morricone, and the scenery was breathtaking. I've already put Bisbee, AZ on my list of places to visit.

Definitely add this to your Netflix queue if you've never seen it.

Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption is one of the raddest video games I've ever played. There's so much to do, and the world in which the game takes place is pretty astounding. Seriously, look at this:

Undoubtedly the best graphics I've ever seen in a game. The story is stellar as well, and it's no surprise that a movie is in the works. John Marston is a Clint Eastwood-esque hero, and characters like Nigel West Dickens add some humor to the proceedings.

"Fraud! This man is a f*****g charlatan!" Some other great vocab words appear in the game as well.

I've only completed about 1/3 of the game, but so far my favorite weapon is the lasso. Not only do you use it to break horses, you also can whip it out to catch criminals:

Chasing down someone and hogtying them is like the most fun thing ever. Almost as fun as this:

Throwing 'shoes for dollars. That's making a living. Speaking of making a living, I wish I could get paid to play this game all day. *Sigh* Back to work tomorrow...

My Favorite Albums of 2010

Here goes:

25. Girls-Broken Dreams Club EP-Chris Owens and co. progress logically from 2009's Album. There's more to the music and the lyrics are better. Looking forward to hearing more. Maybe they'll call their next release Another Album.

24. Flying Lotus-Cosmogramma-Didn't listen to this much, but it's still tremendous. A gifted beatmaker with a jazz mindset.

23. Tamaryn-The Waves-Massive stuff, not unlike early 90s shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. "Mild Confusion" is real sexy.

22. The Love Language-Libraries-Great pop songs. Phil Spector might be proud.

21. Gorillaz-Plastic Beach-Not sure how well it flows as an album, but there are too many great singles here to not include it on this list. "White Flag" is a really neat song.

20. Beat Connection-Surf Noir EP-High-quality beach tunes. AND it was free on their Bandcamp.

19. The Radio Dept.-Clinging to a Scheme-I was really into Saint Etienne when this came out, and this sort of sounds like/is good as one of their early albums. It would be even better if there was more "Heaven's on Fire" and less shoegaze.

18. The Morning Benders-Big Echo-Would've been number one if there were more songs like "Excuses."

17. Crystal Castles-Crystal Castles II-A bit inconsistent, but when they're good, they're REALLY good. "Baptism," "Celestica," and "Pap Smear" are worth the price of admission.

16. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti-Before Today-Weird lo-fi pop. Sags in the middle big-time on tracks seven and eight. "Round and Round" is an instant classic, though.

15. Free Energy-Stuck on Nothing-I hate using the word "fun" when describing music, but I can't resist here. Good clean rock n'roll fun.

14. Beach House-Teen Dream-Beach House put some muscle behind their characteristic dreaminess and produced their best album to date. Beautiful tunes.

13. Baths-Cerulean-Such an original sound. The beats are crazy, the vocals are wacky, and Cerulean is off the chain.

12. Four Tet-There Is Love In You-Speaking of beats, here's another dude who knows what he's doing. Even my dad said that this is "nice music." If Janek Wawrzyniak, a man who has no idea what is cool in 2010 says it's good, it's good.

11. Twin Shadow-Forget-Danceable tunes with clever lyrics. I thought this guy was a joke when I first saw him on Hipster Runoff. Dumb ol' me.

10. Perfume Genius-Learning-Sometimes you're sad, and when you're sad it can be good to hang with other people who are sad. Makes you feel less alone in the world, ya know? This was my go-to "sad album" in 2010.

09. Deerhunter-Halcyon Digest-This was a weird one for me. I thought it was the BEST ALBUM EVER after the first listen, and since then I've liked it less and less. The first and last tracks are forgettable, the middle is great.

08. Dom-Sun Bronzed Greek Gods EP-Please please please don't become the next Passion Pit or MGMT, Dom. Infectious pop songs with "I don't give a eff" lyrical sentiments.

07. Janelle Monae-The ArchAndroid-Janelle is rad and has crazy skills. She's got a great voice and uses it to take us on a journey through popular music. This album's got a lot: R&B, Rock n'Roll, 60s psych, Outkast-esque bangers, and for the love of God the dude from Of Montreal's on here! Still waiting for "Tightrope" or "Cold War" to become a smash hit. Maybe in 2011...

06. Kanye West-My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy-Doesn't contain as many radio-ready singles as Kanye's previous albums, but it's a classic nonetheless. So many great collabs-obviously Nicki Minaj kills it, but what about Chris Rock on "Blame Game?" Effing hilarious.

05. Vampire Weekend-Contra-They proved that they're here to stay with this album. More atmospherics and more risk taking. Drummer Chris Tomson is a vastly underrated component of this band. Seriously, listen to the drums on "Run" or "Cousins." He makes those tracks go.

04. Tame Impala-Innerspeaker-Let's have a toast for the introverts! Awesome psych pop, and the singer is a dead ringer for John Lennon. My most listened to album during the summer of 2010.

03. LCD Soundsystem-This is Happening-One of the best album titles ever. One of the coolest album covers ever. Music's pretty cool as well. "You Wanted A Hit" is sort of boring, but we'll give James a mulligan on that one.

02. The Walkmen-Lisbon-Disclaimer: The Walkmen are pretty much my favorite band. Anything they put out will be enjoyed immensely by yours truly. Howling vocals, loud guitars, insane drumming. S'where it's at.

01. Sleigh Bells-Treats-Came completely out of nowhere and melted my face off. Hip-hop beats with heavy metal intensity? Ain't nobody made an album like this before, and that's why it's #1.

My Favorite Songs of 2010

Here I sit, sweatpanted and tube socked. Ten days off in front of me. It's that wonderful time of the year again: Christmas lights, bowl games, moderate alcohol consumption, and year end lists. Here are my top 50 songs of 2010:

50. The Love Language-"Brittany's Back"-A short, catchy indie pop song with a big ol' chorus.
49. Best Coast-"Crazy For You"-She whines about the same crap for thirteen tracks. This one has the best riff and this gem of a couplet: "Even though you are my guy/I always freak when I get high." Bethany's on some Emily Dickinson shit, son.
48. Ramadanman-"Don't Change For Me"-The first of many songs on this list to contain an infectious vocal sample. A straight up head nodder.
47. Memoryhouse-"Lately (Deuxieme)"-Real dreamy. The most vapid female vocalist I've ever heard, in a good way.
46. The Clientele-"Minotaur"-A great song to listen to when you want to gloat in self-pity.
45. Les Sins-"Lina"-Just listened to this for the first time two days ago. It's that good.
44. Local Natives-"Airplanes"-I WANT IT ALLLLLLLLL SO MUCH I CAAAAALL
43. The Morning Benders-"Excuses"-Nice retro sound. Pretty masterful in construction, although I'm not so sure about the lyrics. I think they're about eating p----.
42.Ke$ha-"We R Who We R"-She says "hard" a lot. Some Beavis & Butthead-style humor on y'all.
41. Warpaint-"Composure"-Love the schoolyard chant. It would be higher up if they didn't go into that Dismemberment Plan-esque jam.
40. Kelis-"Acapella"-Sounds like a dance hit from 1995 + Donna Summer.
39. Belle & Sebastian-"Come on Sister"-Why oh why couldn't they have put more songs like this on Write About Love?
38. Gorillaz-"White Flag"-Love the orchestra.
37. Fishing-"OOOO"-Quite possibly the goofiest song I've ever heard. Never failed to put a grin on my face this year.
36. Beat Connection-"In The Water"-Love the beachy sounding stuff. Reminds me of Air France.
35. Let's Wrestle-"We Are The Men You'll Grow To Love Soon"-How could a responsible dude such as moi not like this song? My mom has been conveying its message to me since I was in elementary school and whined because some girl didn't like me.
34. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings-"Better Things"-Reeeal groovy.
33. Four Tet-"This Unfolds"-Gorgeous stuff. What's unfolding? It's like your opinion, man.
32. Twin Shadow-"At My Heels"-The image of a ladder on a window is so nostalgic. Makes me think of Clarissa Explains It All.
31. Cults-"Go Outside"-Sounds like spring. I always picture a big crowd singing along and swaying their arms.
30. Beach House-"Silver Soul"-I've read the lyrics to this song about a hundred times and still don't understand what in the world Vicky's singing about. I definitely understand that watery guitar line though.
29. Dum Dum Girls-"Oh Mein M"-The best song about love at first sight since Kylie Minogue's "Love At First Sight."
28. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti-"Reminisces"-Sounds like driving around on a hazy summer evening.
27. Baths-"Plea"-Beautiful, heartfelt stuff. "You are every color, how am I visible?"
26. Caribou-"Sun"-Best time to listen to this one is when the sun's rising. Duuuuh.
25. Aeroplane-"We Can't Fly"-Funk, disco, a little hip-hop, and some gospel? The song of the future.
24. Crystal Castles-"Baptism"-Destroys. Sounds like J. Timberlake's "My Love" on heroin.
23. Perfume Genius-"You Won't B Here"-Pretty devastating. M'man is beyond sad.
22.The Drums-"Best Friend"-The rhythm section is catchy as hell, and the vocalist brings the sassy.
21. Highlife-"F Kenya RIP"-I could listen to that riff all day. That and the guy saying that "the diamonds are low" or whatever it is.
20. Shine 2009-"New Rules"-Ooooooh yeeeah. Sounds like the "I'm refreshed" sound you make after quenching your thirst.
19. Delorean-"Simple Graces"-Great vocal sample of a guy going "ooohhh" and a baby surfing on a rocket.
18. Young Montana-"Sacre Cool"-LUVYALIKEWHIIEEEEIIIII
17. Free Energy-"Bang Pop"-Rock n' roll genius.
16. Twin Sister-"All Around And Away We Go"-Great intro, quirky vocals, rad fractured guitar solo.
15. The National-"England"-Pretty epic stuff. The piano line is real moving.
14. The Radio Dept.-"Heaven's On Fire"-Sounds like fire hydrants bursting open in the summer.
13. LCD Soundsystem-"Home"-James Murphy just gets it.
12. Tame Impala-"Solitude Is Bliss"-Dude, it really is.
11. Deerhunter-"Helicopter"-Bradford Cox finds the most twisted news stories and writes songs about them. I guess there is a point to reading the paper.
10. Onra-"High Hopes"-Chillwave + Hip-Hop=Chillhop.
09. TV Girl-"If You Want It"-Love the Todd Rundgren sample. Lyrics remind me of "Self-Esteem" by The Offspring.
08. Dom-"Living In America"-While Win Butler was telling us how much we suck, these dudes pulled a Jonathan Richman and told us why everything's cool.
07. Janelle Monae-"Dance Or Die"/"Faster"/"Locked Inside"-These tracks combine for an incredibly satisfying ten plus minutes of music. Starts off with a funky stomp, switches to an upbeat motown vibe, then transitions brilliantly to a sparking Stevie Wonder-emulating jam.
06. Vampire Weekend-"Diplomat's Son"-Sounds like Dirty Projectors' "Useful Chamber," Vampire Weekend style.
05. Japandroids-"Younger Us"-REMEMBERTHATNIGHTYOUWEREALREADYINBEDSAIDFUCKITGOTUPTODRINKWITHMEINSTEAD
04. Sleigh Bells-"Rill Rill"-Sounds like summa love.
03. Katy Perry-"Teenage Dream"-See #4.
02. Kanye West-"Power"-Goes from feeling like a superhero to jumping out a window in under five minutes. That's 'Ye for ya.
01. The Walkmen-"Angela Surf City"-Alternate title: "Power."

Favorite albums to come.

Kanye West

"I just needed some time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind, but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being prodded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catching up with me
Taking my inner child, I'm fighting for it, custody"

Pretty darn wondrous.

Wishing My Life Away

How much of your life do you spend wishing it away? As I was entering school this morning around 7 a.m., my only thought was "Please let it be 3 p.m. ASAP." That's eight hours right there. If I'm awake for approximately 17 hours, that's nearly half of my day that I'm wishing away. Other days it's even worse. Heck, when I used to be a substitute teacher and work at Target, I'd be wishing away pretty much the entire day. And for what? So after 13 hours of mundaneness I'd get an hour to relax before going to bed? That's crap. I think we should all make a conscious effort to enjoy as much of our time as we can. Just look closely and try to find something nice about your current situation. Anything. I wonder if there was ever anyone who ever lived who enjoyed every single moment of their life and never wished that any of it would pass. Or even the person who wished away the least amount of time. I'd like to meet him/her and find out what they did for a living. And does the prospect of doing something fun make wishing your life away worth it? Like if someone is looking forward to getting through their day so they can go to happy hour afterward, does that make the wishing away acceptable? And do those things that we think will be fun even always turn out to be fun? Usually not. Attaching high expectations to something only increases the chances of it being less enjoyable.

We can't depend on a concert, a bar, or even another person to make us happy.

We have to do it ourselves, and we have to do it as much as possible. Because what else is there, really?

Should I Buy a PS3?

As I was cleaning my room this weekend, I was reminded of a long lost love I once had. No, it wasn't the girl I had a crush on when I was in fifth grade. Yes, it was video games. I dusted off my old N64 and GameCube, and thought "Man, I really miss video games." I spent many an hour during my formative years sitting around and pushing buttons, and have decided that I would like to do so again. It doesn't matter that I'm a real teacher now or that I'll probably be starting grad school in the next few months, right? I had subscribed to the school of thought that video games were a complete waste of time for a few years, that is until I saw THIS GAME:

Seriously, how awesome does this look? It seems to be a video game that plays like a movie. And after reading more about Heavy Rain, I'm throwing the whole "waste of time" thing out the window. This is right up there with movies and books in terms of escapism.

I think I'm gonna buy a PS3.

I just need to make sure I don't get addicted.

Grading Candy

It goes without saying that I've consumed a large quantity of sweets over the past few days. A connoisseur of everything unhealthy, I've decided to rate the various types of candy I've eaten with the hope of finding out which is actually the best. Here goes:

1. Milk Duds: "Dud" is the key word here. Chocolate covered caramels that can potentially yank out your fillings? C'mon, you can do better. GRADE: C-

2. Kit-Kat: I've always been a fan of the Kit-Kat bar. Milk chocolate and wafers make for a delightfully crispy experience, and I don't feel entirely like a fat slob after enjoying one. GRADE: A-

3. Whoppers: Vastly underrated. The only downside to eating a pack of Whoppers is that they make one incredibly thirsty, more so than the average chocolatey confection. Make sure you have about a gallon of milk on hand before cracking open a pack. GRADE: B

4. Mounds/Almond Joy: Awww yeah. If it's got coconut, sign me up. Mounds has dark chocolate, but Almond Joy prevails because, well, it has a big fat almond inside, a bonus that's easily comparable to finding a handful of diamonds inside of a pot of gold. GRADE: Mounds: A-/Almond Joy: A

5. Snickers: The candy bar that eats like a meal. Delicious, but seriously, it's just a little too much. GRADE: B+

6. Heath: Criminally underrated, it's like Butterfinger's tastier, more sophisticated older brother. GRADE: A-

7. Charleston Chew: Fantastic stuff, especially when the grocery store is selling the footlongs for a buck. The milk chocolate and vanilla nougat unite for a simply delicious experience. GRADE: B+

8. 3 Musketeers: Similar to the Kit-Kat in that I don't feel entirely like a fat slob after eating one. Also, it's fun to pretend to be French when you're eating one and be all like: "Ah oui, c'est un bar de Trois Mousquetaires." GRADE: A-

9. SweeTarts: This has to be the most superfluous candy in existence. Really, is there anyone out there who is a SweeTarts enthusiast? Like "Yeah, WOOOOO SWEETARTS!!!!" Nah. GRADE: D

10. Peanut Butter M&Ms: GRADE: A++++++++++++++++++++++

The Seventh Seal

I watched this a few years ago and didn't "get" it.

I just watched it and I "got" it, I think.

This might be the greatest film ever made. It doesn't entertain, it enlightens. You will love this movie. Everyone will love this movie. Why? Because it's about you and everyone. You ARE everyone. We're just a hopeless throng of humanity trying to make sense of life and death. It seems pretty bleak, but one comforting thought does prevail-no matter how skilled you are, you can't beat the grim reaper at chess. We'll all do the dance of death someday, and we'll do it together.

I would like to hug everyone in the world after watching this. I'm serious.

Welcome to the Dollhouse

Finally got to watch this for the first time. Thanks, Netflix! It was very heartbreaking and misanthropic, a perfect movie to watch when you're having a bad day and loathe everyone. It really does depict us humans at our most base level, how we just take whatever nastiness comes our way and give it back to someone who's lower on the food chain. I loved how my opinions of the characters changed completely during the 90 minutes. My favorite part was near the beginning, the scene where Dawn was being harassed in the girls bathroom. The dialogue went something like this:

Dawn: Why do you hate me?
Girl: Because you're ugly!

I think this perfectly captures the unjustified hatred which underlies school bullying. My other favorite part was when Dawn was dreaming about everyone loving her. That's all anyone wants, right? Todd Solondz has human nature down to a T here, and anyone who's honest about their interactions with people will appreciate this movie.

The Walkmen: Lisbon

I'm not sure what makes the Walkmen a great band. They just are one. Maybe it's the half-drunk vocals of Hamilton Leithauser, alternating between crooning and yelling. Maybe it's the seemingly effortless strumming of guitarist Paul Maroon. Maybe it's the idiosyncratic time-keeping done by drummer Matt Barrick. Or maybe it's just the horns.

Okay, now I know. They're a great band because they combine all of these elements to create a retro-cool sound, one they introduced on 2008's stellar You and Me and continue on Lisbon, their latest release. Like any Walkmen album, it effectively combines guitar freakouts and muted ballads, and the frequent changes of pace make for a very engaging listen. They rev the engines pretty quickly on Lisbon with second track "Angela Surf City," arguably the disc's finest moment. An instant Walkmen classic, it features one of the most awe-inspiring choruses I've ever laid my ears on. Leithauser pushes his voice box to its absolute limit and the rest of the band follows suit, with Barrick drumming like a madman and the bass undulating like waves during a tropical storm. "Angela's" only problem is that it's only three minutes and twenty-three seconds in length.

A second highlight comes a few tracks later with "Stranded," a heartbreaking drunken lament. "The words aren't coming through," bawls Leithauser, "I'm stranded and starry-eyed." Remember that song by the Airborne Toxic Event where the guy got drunk and whined because he wanted to bang his ex-girlfriend? The Walkmen took that scenario and made a song that's actually good. It's about being drunk and it SOUNDS drunk, as Barrick barely keeps the thing together with his kick drum. And then there's the horns, horns that add to the barroom sway and evoke images of lonely drunk dudes rejoicing in the fact that they won't be taking any girls home tonight.

The record carries on with the infectious "Woe is Me," vibrant guitar pop that may even provoke some booty shakin', and "Torch Song," the old-timiest Walkmen cut of 'em all. Second to last is "While I Shovel The Snow," a ballad that sounds softer than, well, falling snow. "Half of my life I've been waking up," sings Ham. I feel ya dude.

And like all of the albums before it, this one ends with a slow-burner that goes on for miles. Sporting a six-minute running time and a few horn flareups, "Lisbon" doesn't disappoint and can be placed right next to other satisfying album closers like "Bows and Arrows" and "Another One Goes By."

While not a huge departure from their last album, Lisbon does succeed in maintaining the Walkmen's winning formula. If it ain't broke don't fix it, right?

Daaaauuuuum: LCD Soundsystem

A perfect storm of awesomeness made its way over the Philadelphia area Friday night. Oh God, I sound like a seventh grader starting a personal narrative. Whatever. Anyways, LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells played at the Philadelphia Naval Yard, and to be short it was one of the best nights of live music I've ever experienced. Maybe even the best. The venue was terrific. The initially mysterious Naval Yard was easy to find, there were people and signs everywhere directing traffic, and the parking was free. It was sort of like the Tweeter Center or whatever it's called now minus the lameness. There was a pre-party where free stuff, food, and beer were being given away. This was the beer:

It seems like Narragansett has all the makings of a new "hipster beer." It's watery, comes in pounders, and shares its name with a bay in Rhode Island. Maybe they should change its name to "Veckatimest."

The show took place in what I believe is called the Cruise Terminal, a large warehouse-y building with lots of big windows. I'm not sure what its capacity is, but it seemed like everyone was on top of each other. The sound quality was good though, and that's all that really matters.

Sleigh Bells came on first, and they, um, slayed it. The dude played the riffs and the gal did some crazy dance moves and vocalized. I was kind of disappointed in the crowd for most of the set, but everyone started to come alive near the end. I'm pretty sure they did their entire recorded output.

Shit really started to get insane once LCD came on. It seemed like it couldn't get any more crowded than it was during Sleigh Bells, but it did. It also got about 10x crazier, as the booze started kicking in and joints got fired up. Here's some nutty-ass crap that happened:
1. I fell down during set opener "Dance Yrself Clean" and thought I was going to be trampled to death. Luckily for me I was pulled up by Lizzy. This marks the second time Lizzy has saved my life, as she performed the heimlich maneuver on yours truly in 2004. I was choking on a clam.
2. Some dude fell on the hard floor while crowd surfing. People were passing him around and all of a sudden they got tired of doing so. He fell from about seven feet in the air without anyone breaking his fall. I'm pretty sure he suffered a concussion, but he went right on crowd surfing.
3. LCD played "All My Friends." 'Nuff said.
4. Some UFC bro told me to "EFF OFF" and got in my face because I pushed some sweaty bearded dude his way. This happened while LCD was closing their set with "Home," a lovely song about how home is all we need.

LCD played great, from what I could see. The setlist was perfect, and offered significant helpings of both new and old material. Highlights included not only the previously mentioned "Dance Yrself Clean" and "All My Friends," but also "Get Innocuous!," "Movement," and "Losing My Edge," every music nerd's fav. It seemed like James Murphy was sort of going through the motions with this one, but it was rad nonetheless. James (we're on a first-name basis) had a cool old-looking microphone, I think. Hot Chip member Al Doyle was playing bass. The Asian gal looked sort of miserable. Their light show was spectacular, and they even turned on a huge-ass disco ball for a few songs.

Great venue and music. The people could've been a little less sweaty/out of their minds, but it's okay. Also, people could've DANCED more. Last time I checked, dancing is more than just jumping up and down and pushing/throwin' bows. In fact, that's not dancing at all.

I Don't Get It: UFC

I just saw a commercial for some UFC fight, and am unable to understand the draw of such an event. It seems like it's just two dudes beating the hell out of each other until one of them gives up/is unconscious/is dead. UFC fans would disagree with me on this point, and would defend this activity by highlighting all of the holds and techniques that must be learned to be successful. All I know is that every time I've watched a UFC "fight," this is what happened:

1. The two dudes grabbed each other.
2. They started kneeing each other.
3. They fell on the mat and morphed into a sinewy sphere.
4. They attempted to put each other in "holds," which to me looked like rolling around.
5. One guy ended up on top and punched the other guy in the face until the referee ended this savage exhibition.

I mean, I love the NFL and do watch boxing every now and then, but UFC takes the brutality to a dangerous level. Call me a wimp, but I just can't deal with the sound of a fist making contact with a skull or, even more, the fact that some unfortunate fella will most likely endure years of health problems for a few appearances on Spike TV. I feel as though this "sport" appeals to the carnal side of people, that same section of the brain where the animalistic synapses get fired off. It makes for a strangely sadistic experience in which people want to see someone get beat up and humiliated in public. Even stranger to me is the fact that so many of the individuals who view these testosterone fests are gents who have never been in a fight in their lives. I guess feigning macho-ness by living vicariously through some bulky dude who spends all of his time in a gym is easier than simply admitting that you're not a fighter.

I'm not a fighter.

"There are as many ways to be a man as there are men."
-Dr. Dan O'Neill