| Conservative in College (posted from facebook) |
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| 12:37pm 18/11/2009 |
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mood:  bouncy music: Bob Dylan
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Having taken my fair share of classes in college I have come to the realization of two things:
1. Conservatives are a rarity at universities, even in my government classes. I know this sounds like a "no shit" statement, and it is. However this point must be stated before my next one.
2. The Conservatives that DO enroll at universities tend to be either one of two types: EXTREMELY overt about their beliefs, or EXTREMELY covert about them. Case in point:
A guy who I work with is a conservative. I only found this out maybe 3 weeks ago and I have known the guy for several months now. After some pushing and prodding I got him to talk about his beliefs a little bit: why he really likes Ronald Reagan, his opinions on death penalty, gun control, being surrounded by liberals etc. On face value I would have never taken the guy for a conservative because he plays WoW, watches anime, and has longish hair. I was surprised to say the least. If I hadn't had the chance opportunity to talk with him I would have never known. He was covert about it.
In contrast, there is another guy in one of my government classes who makes sure to let you know, no matter what is being talked about, that he is a conservative. For instance the other day he was talking to a professor in the class before mine and the conversation went something like this:
Conservative: Hey you remember when we were talking about Thomas Paine?
Prof: Yes.
Conservative: Well Glenn Beck--do you know who that is?
Prof: Yes.
Conservative: Well he reprinted Thomas Paine's Common Sense recently and it sold millions of copies!
--
Another conversation I had with him took place outside our classroom:
Conservative: So what newspapers did you use for your project?
Me: New York Times, Sac Bee, and SF Chronicle. What about you?
Conservative: Well I used some local stuff but I had to buy a copy of the New York Times, something I will NEVER do again. I really hate that paper, way too liberal. Fox News did a story on them recently that got be really angry.
Me: I don't watch a lot of network or 24 hour news...
--
The other day in class all of us were discussing 24 hour news and bias:
Professor (paraphrasing): 24 hour news has to fill up airtime with what they can in order to bring in better ratings. Sometimes this gets in the way of actual reporting. If we were to break up the 3 major 24 hour networks MSNBC would be the most liberal, CNN mostly neutral, and Fox News Conservative. MSNBC however is not nearly as liberal as Fox News is Conservative.
Conservative: Well MSNBC has been tanking in the ratings, so has CNN. Did you know that Fox News beats CNN and MSNBC combined in late night viewing? I think this says something about the reporting, that maybe people don't like those two networks.
--
There is always an awkward silence before and after he speaks because we know that no matter what the topic is he will find a way to inject some sort of politics into it. He is extremely overt about his opinions. He probably thinks he is surrounded by liberal college students (he is) and he needs to make sure they know he isn't like them. Or something. Contrast this with the covert conservative who will usually just blend in, and you have an interesting dichotomy. I should admit however that this man is in his 40s, whereas the guy I work with is my age. Maybe age has something to do with it?
P.S. - On the other hand, I think that liberals probably follow the same conventions that I stated above: some are covert while others are overt. However because there are so many more liberals it's much harder to realize this divide exists. With so few conservatives the loudest ones always stand out more. |
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Read 1 - Post |
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| 10-6 |
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| 06:18pm 27/10/2009 |
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mood:  bitchy music: Breath of Fire 3
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Finally getting around to this should you care:
10. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
The sounds of torture are a perfect way to begin an album that is largely about suicide and death. Created during the depths of Trent Reznor's depression, The Downward Spiral is why I like my musicians extremely fucked up; they always make better music. The album swerves from calm, sneering songs such as Piggy, to room-destroying, chaotic songs such as March of the Pigs and Heresy (God is dead and no one cares/ If there is a hell I'll see you there). The latter is Satan's theme song. Favorites: Heresy, Piggy.
9. Joy Division - Closer
Infinitely better than their first album, Closer is a study in minimalism, sparseness, and deadpan. Beginning with the primal beat of Atrocity Exhibition (a song about the pleasure people derive from watching the suffering of others) and ending with Decades (which I'm interpreting as nihilist), it's a wonder that Ian Curtis managed to live as long as he did without hanging himself sooner. The Eternal's minimal piano melody and drums from outer space are the prime track to gauge the mix of this album. Favorites: Isolation, The Eternal.
8. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
This album is as close as you will ever get to a musical painting. What is there not to love about this album? The mix is perfect, the drums hard hitting, and the vocals barely understandable; great things in an album. Speaking of the vocals, they tend to sound like another instrument altogether on this album as opposed to just singing for singing's sake. The guitars sound, well, not like guitars; it's actually hard to imagine you can actually make a noise like that with a guitar. The album is great driving music at night, specifically when you drive through a crowded downtown area full of skyscrapers; it works best if you turn it all the way up. Favorites: every song
7. hide - Hide Your Face
hide's first solo album showed he could play alternative rock, too. The big hit being Eyes Love You, the usual Japanese alt-rock love song. Dice and Scanner are nice rock songs, while Tell Me and A Story are admirable attempts at fast paced, sentimental songs. This album is better than Psyence largely because as a first solo effort, hide was a little more rambunctious with his music. The album feels like he really just wants to reach out and dance with you. Favorites: Scanner, Eyes Love You.
6. The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
You know if the Smashing Pumpkins had simply released this album with some changes every 3 years I think people would still buy it. Much more psychedelic than their later albums, Gish envelopes you in a blanket of warm fuzziness that sometimes electrocutes you. Crush has to be one of their most underrated songs of all time, while I am One and Rhinoceros contain all the things that made SP great. The band is in great form here because since it's their first album you can tell it was still a new and fun thing for them. Later albums after Siamese Dream (excluding some parts of Mellon Collie) are just boring; their hearts and minds just don't seem into it anymore. Favorites: I am One, Crush. |
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Post |
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| graffiti |
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| 09:00am 02/10/2009 |
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mood: awake music: Black Sabbath - Paranoid
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College bathroom graffiti is some of the most enlightening reading ever.
Off to waste my paycheck. |
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Post |
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| 15-11 |
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| 01:56pm 29/09/2009 |
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mood: frustrated music: Doors opening and closing, footsteps
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15. Alice In Chains - Dirt
This album is a fine example of how to combine two genres to create something unique and non-replicable. Dirt has all the signs of a dirty, grungy album yet maintains some of that arena ready metal spirit with songs such as Dam That River and Rain When I Die. One unique thing about the band is the dual-harmonizing done by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and singer Layne Staley. This vocal effects further serves the haunting and angry sound over all of their albums. Dirt will never be bested when it comes to the metal/grunge hybrid. Favorites: Dam That River, Them Bones.
14. hide - Psyence
hide was the lead guitarist in the band X Japan. He was a pretty crazy guy and was definitely the showman of the group. He started a solo career in the early 90s and released 3 albums before his death in 1998. hide's 2nd album Psyence is where I wish alternative rock had gone after Nirvana fell apart in 1994. The album is diverse in its stylings: one song has a jazz/1920s type of feel, another is a drug-induced ballad, while others are straight ahead rockers. Some of the lyrics are in Japanese and others are in (broken) English, but lyrics never mattered much to me anyway. Psyence and hide in general are very under-appreciated due to, in my opinion, simply being intended for and being from another country. The great ones always die young. Favorites: Lemoned I Scream (Choco-Chip Version), Damage.
13. X Japan - Dahlia
Speaking of hide, this was the last album by his former band, X Japan. Japanese metal is weird because it has a common ancestor in American Metal (more specifically Glam Metal) but after that it gets all sorts of fucked up. Anything American glam bands did, Japanese bands did it bigger (and usually better). However by the time Dahlia had come out, glam metal was on the outs and X Japan responded by creating a more alternative rock oriented album. Songs such as the opening track Dahlia, and Scars are much more conventional in terms of the prevailing musical trends at the time than their previous songs, which were much more speed metal in nature. The one thing that hasn't changed, and that most people who like X Japan identify with, is their power ballads. Although most of the time I can't understand what they're saying, safe to say it sounds intense. Another unappreciated album simply because it's mostly in another language. Favorites: Dahlia, Crucify My Love.
12. The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
In retrospect this will be looked upon as the Smashing Pumpkins best work and most creative period. The hypnotic hook in Luna never fails to keep me mesmerized, while Cherub Rock and Quiet should be lessons in any music class on how to write a song. And you know what? For all the shit Disarm gets, I think it's one of their best songs ever; easily top 5. It's a shame really that their most well known effort, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, always gets the most attention because while that album has about 50/50 good and bad songs, Siamese Dream has no duds. Favorites: Mayonnaise, Disarm.
11. John Williams - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
I was into Star Wars way before I was into music. I was also into Star Wars music way before I was into any other music. That doesn't make sense, but then again who does? Most themes on this album are instantly recognizable by the average American, the Imperial March in particular (it was first played in the 2nd movie believe it or not). Most songs are grandiose compositions which have no need to be ashamed; the movie was grandiose itself. Easily the best movie and soundtrack of all 6 episodes, this soundtrack needs to be preserved. Favorites: The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme), The Battle in the Snow. |
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| mars and other things |
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| 02:03pm 27/09/2009 |
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mood:  blah music: Richard Pryor
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I stayed up till 3 AM last night waiting to look at Mars through my telescope. It fucking sucked and I was disappointed. Still, the Orion nebula and Jupiter looked cool. |
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Post |
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| 20-16 |
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| 10:49pm 25/09/2009 |
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mood:  full music: Malice Mizer
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20. The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album)
There is nothing more to say about this album that hasn't already been said. Download it, buy it, steal it, whatever just listen to it. Favorites: Birthday, Piggies.
19. Soundgarden - Superunknown
Exploding on the scene in the early 90s (though popular in the 80s as well) was Soundgarden. Although their first flirtation with fame came from their 1991 effort Badmotorfinger, it is Superunknown that most will ultimately remember about them. Wherever the band was creatively at this point I wish it could have been extracted and kept in a jar as a reference to future bands on how to write songs. Songs such as Fell on Black Days and Mailman exhibit what the depths of depression can do to a person; the anger practically spits on you while you listen. My only complaint about this album is that the last 5 tracks are completely unnecessary and make the album drag on longer than it should. Favorites: My Wave, Fell on Black Days.
18. The Beatles - Revolver
Steal, kill, download, buy, just get this album and never stop listening to it. Favorites: Taxman, I'm Only Sleeping.
17. Nirvana - Bleach
If one could name an album that could be the soundtrack to a liberal's life in a conservative town, Bleach would be it. Nirvana's first album, recorded for about $600 dollars, showcases the band in their youthful naïveté. Songs such as Floyd the Barber and Paper Cuts would have never made the cut in post-Bleach Nirvana, so I am happy they had the opportunity to be included here. The whole album has been said to have been recorded under the influence of cough syrup (Kris Novoselic, Nirvana's bassist later remarked that it appeared everyone involved in the production was sick). Nirvana live staples such as School and the only "hit" song on the record, About A Girl were hashed out here, providing enjoyment to many live Nirvana fans (myself in particular). Arguably the least favored of all their albums (there were only 3 :( ) Bleach deserves some much needed attention. Favorites: Floyd the Barber, Scoff.
16. John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Some Time In New York City
This album's first single was titled "Woman is the Nigger of the World". I think it says something about our musical landscape that a song with this title would never see the light of day in mainstream music today (if you're offended do some research). The entire album is essentially protest songs that would fit in at any rally of your choice. Lennon and Ono touch on a variety of topics including prison riots, Irish subjugation, and drugs. The album has a throwback 1950s rock feel, which is what drew me to it in the first place; the cover art helped too. You can't listen to this album too loudly else risk the PC police coming after you. Favorites: New York City, Sisters O Sisters. |
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| 25-21 |
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| 01:32pm 20/09/2009 |
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mood: cheerful music: FF12
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25. Christian Death - Only Theatre of Pain
This album is full of songs that would be ripe for a parody in South Park. Whether it's the gothy sounding voice of their lead singer, or the truly odd yet sometimes hilarious lyrics (No moon shining like an untouched/ ass of the boy next door), this album makes you feel very morose yet rhythmic when listened to. The songs tend to have an alternative rock flare, and you can see where The Cure drew most of its inspiration from. Christian Death is often thought of as popularizing goth and death rock, and its first album serves as a great first showing. Favorites: Cavity - First Communion, Dream For Mother.
24. L7 - Bricks are Heavy
These women know how to rock, none of this Hillary Duff/Miley Cyrus shit. I had this album on my list before I had even listened to all of it; I knew it would be that good. Drawing heavily from er, heavy metal influences, L7 make you pine for the mid 1980s, metal's zenith. With songs like Wargasm, and Diet Pill you can't but help wanting to start destroying everything around you. This album has influenced me more as a musician than almost any other. Favorites: Wargasm, Pretend We're Dead.
23. The Police - Synchronicity
This last album by The Police has everything that makes them great: love ballads, uptempo rock songs, and pure madness. A contrast to some of their previous albums, Synchronicity features a rather lush mix of guitar/bass and various percussion instruments. Going off what I saw when they played portions of it live in 2007 I could make out a xylophone, tam-tam, various cymbals, and timpani. Although I'm not the biggest fan of their poppier songs (especially Every Breath You Take) I can make an exception here. Favorites: Miss Gradenko, Synchronicity II.
22. Daft Punk - Discovery
Like most others my age, I was introduced to Daft Punk and their 2nd album Discovery through its relentless promotion on Toonami back around the turn of the century. The first 4 songs on the LP are the most memorable for the music videos set to the anime it was promoting called Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. Aside from that I don't think there is a single lover of music who doesn't know at least some of the lyrics from One More Time, or who doesn't get excited when the guitar solo comes in on Aerodynamic. If this album had come out in the 70's we might have been saved from disco. Favorites: Aerodynamic, Crescendolls.
21. Akari Kaida And Yoshino Aoki - Breath Of Fire III Original Soundtrack
A truly underrated soundtrack if there ever was one, BOF 3's OST successfully combines elements of jazz and elevator music to create a memorable atmosphere to an otherwise moderately successful RPG. The OST has everything that an RPG soundtrack should have: intense battle songs, a good main theme, and music that you would otherwise want to listen to over and over. It keeps me coming back for more, that's for sure. |
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Read 3 - Post |
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| oops |
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| 01:50pm 18/09/2009 |
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mood: annoyed music: FF12
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I had 25-21 ready to post but then it got deleted. I'll try it again later when I feel like writing.
Meanwhile, I will get very drunk tonight I think. |
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Post |
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| 30-26 |
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| 01:56pm 10/09/2009 |
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mood: calm music: Doors opening and closing
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30. Daft Punk - Human After All
Although Discovery is still my ultimate favorite, Human After All is an album that grows on you. It is deceptive at first because the album appears so rushed at face value, until you listen to it several times and eventually realize there are actually a lot of good songs on the album. Daft Punk is known for their repetition, but this isn't something you can knock an electronic/house group for. You'll hear the same lyrics and riffs over and over, but Daft Punk manages to do something a lot of music groups can't: make it sound new every time. Favorites: The Prime Time of Your Life, Robot Rock.
29. Gackt - Mars
Gackt is the quintessential Japanese pop musician. His vocals are flawless, his music catchy (scarily so), and his looks god-like. Sometimes pop music from western countries suffers from what I like to call "hollowness". That is, the music itself is good but offers no message and often sounds so robotic and cliched that it is a joke. Gackt manages to avoid this dilemma (for the most part) on his first album Mars. This album I usually like to treat as an extension of his tenure at Malice Mizer; maybe it could have been the album that they never made. With a voice that has a large, dynamic range, and songs that might actually mean something while being catchy, you can't go wrong here. Favorites: Asrun Dream, Vanilla.
28. The Doors - The Doors
Often copied by other bands but never quite correctly, The Doors first album was a landmark is psychedelic rock, and to a lesser extent was one of the first albums to incorporate elements of jazz in such a way. Break on Through (To the Other Side) is the perfect way to absolutely punch out the listener as the album begins. A brief respite during the The Crystal Ship leaves the listener to wonder what just happened to them as they swirl around the meandering chorus, before they get kicked again by Light My Fire. It all sadly ends at the last track, The End, where the narrator states his desire to fuck his mother. The Aristocrats! Favorites: Break on Through (To the Other Side), Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)
27. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Rumours is amazing, although I have a feeling I would have been completely averse to this album had it come out in my lifetime. It seems to have aged rather well considering the beating it took in musical circles regarding the band selling out at the time; alas, most albums such as this do. What's really odd about this album however is that there are no duds, no filler songs, every song is very well crafted, and most have had substantial airplay. I can't tell you how many times I said "That song was done by them?!" when I first listened to this album. Great musicians, good lyrics, good album. Favorites: Never Going Back Again, Don't Stop.
26. Hole - Live Through This
Although I think a majority of Live Through This probably had more input from Kurt Cobain than Courtney Love will admit, I don't mind because the two of them working together came up with some great things. Much like Hole's first album Pretty On The Inside, this album has it's savage, noise-like moments. However the album veers in another direction with songs such as Doll Parts and Miss World. These songs showed a more tender side to Hole that was not fully realized from their first album. Courtney Love can howl with the best of them, and Live Through This is a good example of what Grunge was at its peak in 1994. Favorites: Violet, Jennifer's Body. |
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| time passes by |
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| 11:41am 09/09/2009 |
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mood: still hungover music: My Bloody Valentine
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My favorite game came out 10 years ago today. Also, Dreamcast. |
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Post |
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| 35-31 |
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| 11:05am 05/09/2009 |
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mood: accomplished music: Malice Mizer - Merveilles
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35. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
I tended to gloss over Pink Floyd for a while because they were so ubiquitously popular, that is until I decided to give Wish You Were Here a spin. I'm not sure if it's the songs flowing seamlessly together, the epic 30 minute Shine On You Crazy Diamond, or my personal preference of the third track, Have A Cigar, but this album has a great mixture of sparse arrangements and driving beats. There's not much more that can be written about this album but rest assured: all of its praise is well-deserved. Favorites: Have a Cigar, Welcome to the Machine.
34. Hitoshi Sakimoto (among others) - Final Fantasy XII OST
The soundtrack to Final Fantasy XII gets a lot of shit from FF music aficionados. Common complaints are that the tracks are unimaginative, unfitting for an RPG like FF12, or that the composer should have leaned on Nobuo Uematsu a bit more (the main composer for the FF series). These complainers are also assholes. FF12's soundtrack perfectly suits its MMORPG atmosphere and also has plenty of very memorable tracks. Hitoshi Sakimoto uses a full range of synth instruments to record tracks that add quality and memorability to the diverse range of environments present in FF12. Screw the haters. Favorites: Time For a Rest, The Dalmasca Estersand.
33. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
This album makes me think of what Nirvana would have sounded like had they used no distortion on all of their songs. Elliott Smith manages to make a hard hitting acoustically driven indie rock record that would be ranked higher if it wasn't for some of the overly sappy songs towards the middle of the LP. At times his voice seems to barely rise above a whisper when he sings, yet it still sounds full and sincere. Very strong opening track. Favorites: Speed Trials, Alameda.
32. 2pac - All Eyez On Me
For those who say I included a token rap/hip-hop record on this list to make me look more diverse, you are correct. It's no secret I don't listen to much rap (I have a few discs but it isn't by preferred genre) however there are some music records that are just so good they can't be passed up due to genre preference. All Eyez On Me is one of them. The thing I and others I have talked to about this record like, who also don't listen to much rap, is that 2pac's delivery of lines is so powerful, abrasive and melodious that you can't help but like every song on the album. It doesn't hurt that the hooks on some of the songs would fit right in on a rock album either. Just because I can't fully relate to the messages on this record doesn't mean I can't like it. Favorites: How Do U Want It, I Ain't Mad At Cha.
31. Prince - Purple Rain
This album was recorded in outer space during an orgy with old 1950s pop songs playing in the background. This is really the only way you can describe the sound achieved on this album. On The Beautiful Ones, Prince sounds like he wouldn't be too out of place as a crooner in the mid 1940s, were it not for the screaming. Each note on this record sounds like it goes on forever after it is played, while the drums propel each song forward like a rocket ship. A sweet, wholesome record you could take home to your mom it ain't. Favorites: The Beautiful Ones, Computer Blue. |
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| 40-35 |
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| 12:26pm 30/08/2009 |
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mood:  anxious music: Hide - Psyence
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40. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
I saw Muse in 2007 in SF and it was the best concert I have and will ever go to probably. After that show I picked up most of their albums (their first isn't that great in my opinion). Black Holes and Revelations is a great 2000s rock album because it has great riffs, screaming vocals, and a great sound. I'd recommend it as a starter for getting into Muse. Favorites: Supermassive Black Hole, Knights of Cydonia.
39. The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
I wish wish wish I could rank this album higher but there is just far too much filler to make this a truly top 10 record. With that out of the way, the songs that are good more than make up for the fluff. This is a natural progression for SP from what's considered their best album Siamese Dream. Great riffs, sometimes great vocals, and very very good drumming; a rock album that should be in most collections. Favorites: Cupid De Locke, Here Is No Why.
38. Shellac - At Action Park
Shellac is led by Steve Albini, the guy most famous for recording/mixing Nirvana's third album In Utero. Much like he recorded that one, his band Shellac's first album is very savage and full of repeating riffs. It was also recorded with analog equipment, making it sound much more real than digital, processed albums. The one thing I like about this album above all others is that the vocals are much less audible than most rock albums. I'm not sure if this is because the lyrics are bad or because Albini is a bad singer (probably both) but it fits the music perfectly. Think Pixies. Favorites: My Black Ass, The Admiral.
37. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Another album I wish I could rank higher, it just pales in comparison to their second album Closer. With his unusual matter of fact singing style, Ian Curtis guides us harshly, and sometimes gently through his band's first album. This album is very dark yet oddly danceable. Lots of reverb in the drums and vocals makes you think this album was recorded in a football stadium. Favorites: Day of the Lords, Interzone.
36. Metallica - Master of Puppets
Now here's what I'm talking about. Fast, crunchy, and more headbanging riffs than than most albums, Metallica's seminal album Master of Puppets should be in any collection. This album sounds great partly because James Hetfield was still in his prime and Cliff Burton hadn't died yet. \m/ Favorites: Leper Messiah, The Thing That Should Not Be. |
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| 45-41 |
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| 06:34pm 16/08/2009 |
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mood: full
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Next 5 favorites:
45. S&M - Metallica
This live album by Metallica makes all their songs sound really powerful--more so than on their original albums. All the flourishes and dynamic changes that the SF Orchestra performs really enhances Metallica's songs, and I really prefer some versions on this album to their studio counterparts. Favorites: Enter Sandman, The Thing That Should Not Be.
44. Sons Of Northern Darkness - Immortal
A friend of mine from a tabla class at Sac State gave me a mix CD of black/death metal after I told him what music I liked. I later gave him a grunge mix that I'm sure he had fun laughing at seeing as it was probably so cute compared to the stuff he gave me. The mix CD had a lot of great songs on it (I was particularly surprised by the production values of some of the songs) but Immortal stood out. A few months after he gave me that disk I found the album the Immortal song was on in a downtown Sacramento music shop. It's been on replay ever since. This stuff is fast, hard, and brutal. Favorites: Tyrants, Demonium.
43. Under The Iron Sea - Keane
And now for something completely different. I discovered Keane through a music video for Is It Any Wonder? on VH1 several years ago. It was catchy enough so I checked out the album to find it actually wasn't the best song on it. Keane doesn't really break any new ground with their stuff however they make good, memorable songs on this album if you're a fan of piano driven rock songs. If only their lead singer could kick his Cocaine habit... Favorites: Nothing In My Way, Crystal Ball.
42. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
My first concert I ever went to had Death Cab for Cutie and Franz Ferdinand co-headlining. I was a bigger Death Cab fan at the time but Franz Ferdinand played a great show as well. This album has a lot of hits on it, in fact 10/12 tracks would probably be easily recognizable to your average music listener. I'm not really sure what Franz Ferdinand does to write good songs like this, but whatever it is they did it better than most. It's dance music for people who don't like E. Favorites: This Fire, Michael.
41. Sublime - Sublime
This ska album is a lot more diverse than people give it credit for. It goes from ska/rock (What I Got) to ska/punk (Burritos) to reggae (Garden Grove). This album is sometimes hit or miss, but most albums are. I wish more ska bands would take the approach of Sublime rather than assaulting me with trumpets and trombones. Favorites: April 29, 1992, Santeria. |
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| favorite album lists |
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| 10:02pm 13/08/2009 |
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mood: apathetic music: Hide - Psyence
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I like making lists. As a musician who never really stops thinking about music related stuff I tend to make a lot of them. Favorite songs, artists, albums, etc. Seeing as I have nothing better to do until school starts (LAST SEMESTER THANK GOD) I'll post semi-weekly partial lists of my 50 favorite albums as of now. READYSETGO
50. Failure - Fantastic Planet
Failure is very popular amongst rock/alternative musicians but they never caught on big with the general public. They're the Linux of Alternative Rock. Their second album Fantastic Planet is very characteristic of 90s alternative rock, but the seemingly meandering songs slowly hypnotize you into listening more and more. Favorites: Smoking Umbrellas, Pillowhead.
49. Vangelis - Blade Runner Soundtrack
Not only was the movie way ahead of its time, but the soundtrack fits it perfectly. This is the type of music I can listen to endlessly; it's especially good as background music for homework or sleeping. I've fallen asleep many times to this album, but in a good way. If you want to know what polluted-futuristic LA would sound like, here you go. Favorites: Blade Runner (End Titles), Main Titles.
48. The Libertines - The Libertines
I had heard about these guys a while back but didn't really start listening to them until a few months ago. Nevertheless I quickly found out why so many people like this album: the songs are the most catchy indie rock songs I've heard in a while. Basically mix the Strokes and the White Stripes up and you get the Libertines. Favorites: Can't Stand Me Now, The Man Who Would Be King.
47. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Darklands
The Jesus & Mary Chain's second album Darklands is much less well-known and appreciated than their first. This album is very characteristic of 80s pop music: lots of reverb and rich vocals. The calming nature of the songs is juxtaposed against the rest of their catalog which is very brash and distorted. Favorites: Down on Me, Cherry Came Too.
46. Hole - Pretty on the Inside
Hole's very first album (released a little after Courtney became involved with Kurt) is savage punk rock at its finest. This album was largely forgotten after its release and only became semi-popular after Hole's 2nd album, Live Through This, became hugely popular. Overall the album has a few duds, but the snarling vocals and powerful mix make this a keeper.
Favorites: Teenage Whore, Good Sister/Bad Sister.
That's all for now. I'll post 5 more when I get the chance or if I remember. |
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| oh man |
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| 08:37pm 15/07/2009 |
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mood: amused music: Gackt
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GEEET OFF MY PHONEEEE
what a buffoon... |
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| fun |
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| 10:44am 30/06/2009 |
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mood: awake music: Fleetwood Mac
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Was a fun flight. |
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| not fucking fair |
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| 06:57pm 25/06/2009 |
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mood:  depressed music: Thriller
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The great ones always go first
RIP...
While we're left with this shit:
Not a fair world. |
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| ff12 |
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| 09:04pm 06/06/2009 |
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I just finished Final Fantasy 12. Great game, will definitely go in my top 5 ff games of all time. I know I'm 3 years late but fuck off, this game was difficult. |
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Read 5 - Post |
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| Last day on the job (this semester) |
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| 11:54am 22/05/2009 |
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Last night at my job was fun. One of the guys was graduating so we had a barbeque in our tiny little booth. The George Foreman grill worked very well, the burgers didn't taste half as bad as I thought (though this still doesn't compare to a REAL grill).
We found some Sac State Parking Enforcement jackets so we started walking around campus like we were in charge. We went to a lot of places we probably weren't allowed to but nobody said a thing. Amazing the power of a uniform. We had about 6 calls for the entire night and on a normal day we usually get 40.
Overall we had the campus to ourselves last night.
btw if you want free bikes just go to the Sac State bike lot near Riverside Hall, find the bikes that have cobwebs all over them, cut the lock, and eureka! Your new bike. |
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mechajedi's journal