Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
I was supposed to read this for the Science Fiction class that I took four years ago but never did. Well, I tried to, but the class moved way too fast for me and I never got past the second part. The discussions in class must've sucked though, because I never once heard anything mentioned about the ever-shifting narrative or how the book is compiled of five short stories that are all tied together. Not that it's too difficult to understand what is going on, but when you aren't expecting the main characters to change around half way through the book it doesn't seem a little odd.
I really enjoyed parts of the book while I found other parts kind of boring. I know that might be a bit of a blasphemous thing to say, since it is a cornerstone of modern sci-fi, but some of the scenes in the book just felt like they were dragging through politically commentary that was whizzing over my head. Still, something would always happen to keep my interest going so I obviously didn't find the book that boring. When I get the opportunity, I hope to read at least the rest of the books in the main series (and if I'm feeling adventurous, then the prequels and all that stuff too)
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Direct Hit! - The Essential Direct Hit! Anthology
Direct Hit! is my current favorite band. They write very catchy and explosive songs. Is "explosive" even a good way to describe music? Of course. When a band is as awesome as Direct Hit! is, your eardrums explode. Figuratively, of course. Calling Direct Hit! pop punk does not do them justice at all, as it is only the broadest way to describe the music. Yes, it's super catchy punk, but it's much more than that. Direct Hit!'s music is what I sometimes refer to as an "eargasm" if that helps you understand just how great it is.
Brief history of the band:
Direct Hit! put out 5 EPs over the course of 2008 to 2010, giving them away for free on the internet, but also giving the option to pay. It has said that each EP released was almost like a comic book. In 2010 they also released a split with the band Mixtapes (interestingly enough, that split was missing on my top albums of the year list despite it being wonderful). In late 2010, they decided they were going to record a full length album. So they compiled every song on their EPs alongside some live tracks and threw together a cassette tape compilation to sell to raise money to help record. When those sold out, they also started a campaign to help raise money to mix the full length, giving away a digital copy of the compilation plus a bunch of other stuff (including shirts and stickers). They are (as of this writing) recording their full length album, which will be composed of newly recorded versions of songs on their EPs, as many of the songs, especially earlier ones, have gone under drastic changes and are played differently. Maybe a new song or two as well, that information has not been released to my knowledge.
I guess that's not a very brief history lesson. My bad. For the intents and purposes of my actual review, I'm going to break down the tracks based on their original appearance. They pretty much appear in the same order anyway, so it works out.
Direct Hit! - #1
This is where it begins. The songs are recorded in a lo-fi-ish manner but don't let that makes you think they sound like the Mountain Goats* or anything.
Lyrically, Nick Woods explores the want to get out and become something greater. Best evidenced in track one, "How, When and Why" where the chorus consists of "Come on baby girl, do you wanna take the world over with me?" Clearly he's aiming high on this track and he only takes it further from here.
The next three tracks continue this adventure of escaping toward freedom ("We Are Alone"), being on the run (“Buy Me a Drink”) and getting revenge on the wrong-doers (“Kingdom Come”). It is very possible that the entire EP is a concept of the unnamed protagonist and someone else (perhaps it is Baby Girl?) escaping from their everyday lives. Remember that comic book comparison? Yeah. All of a sudden the bomb on the EP cover makes a little more sense.
Musically, the songs utilize the bare basics in terms of instrumentals: no flashy lead lines or solos, just guitar, bass, drums and keys. That's not to say that the music is boring; not at all. Tracks 1 and 3 are a little more relaxed, while tracks 2 and 4 are faster paced, which reflects the lyrical tones. “How, When and Why” is the initial contemplation of escape, while “Buy Me a Drink” is the point in the story where the protagonist and Baby Girl are thinking about their next move and in both songs there is more palm muting to keep the energy contained. “We Are Alone” is the actual escape and “Kingdom Come” is the part of the story in which the enemy is blown up and the music is much more intense and less restrained.
All-in-all, this EP is the start of something wonderful. Hopefully if any of these songs are re-recorded for the full-length, they are put into the context of a new story. Or all of them are re-recorded and fit into a much larger story with the rest of the tracks.
*no disrespect meant toward Mr. Darnielle, I’m just saying they don't sound the same.
Direct Hit! - #2
This EP wastes no time at all in getting in your face. From the first track running through all 8 and a half minutes to the final number, the only time you get to rest while listening to it is the brief silence between songs.
“Boredom Addict” starts off with a relatively slow (compared to the rest of the EP so it’s not really slow) intro and turns into the “woah-oh” heavy ode to sitting around doing nothing and still turning that nothingness into a song. Generally when people write a song about doing nothing while blazed, you get something like Sublime, but even Direct Hit! manages to make being bored into something exciting.
The best way to describe “I Wanna Know” is “frantic.” Think early-Bomb the Music Industry! but with a full band playing in time with each other.
“Living Dead” marks where the EP begins to really shine. It’s got it all: chants of “heys,” palm-muted verses and a “we don’t give a fuck” attitude. No, really. It’s in the chorus:
“We don't give a fuck about your ethics, who you are, where you come from or all the other shit you've done. We don't care at all about obsessions, your confessions, we don't care about the office you have run”
It’s also most likely about being a zombie. Gotta get into this things before they’re overplayed.
“Arson Hero” is the highlight of the EP. The lyrics are comparable to those found on #1; being stuck in a rut of everyday life and changing things up by blowing up a building. It is also noteworthy to mention that each line in the song (save for the bridge) has a number that counts up in numerical order, ending with 27 by the end.
Direct Hit!’s second EP has a higher production value than their first. Every single track is also packed with relentless energy and never letting up. That said, it is not as cohesive as a release as the rest of their discography. Even then though, it is not a bad EP at all and an essential part to the Direct Hit! collection.
Direct Hit! - #3
“FUCK YOU! GET PUMPED!”
That’s the greeting that listeners get while listening to Direct Hit!’s third EP. It is also the first appearance (hearing? Whatever the aural equivalent of an appearance is) of what is now a Direct Hit! staple: as it has become somewhat of a “slogan” for the band.
Nick Woods’ lyrics take the best of the previous two EPs and mixes them well. On “Failed Invasion” he continues to use imagery of war and blowing shit up while blending it with the mundane aspects of life, this time the hardships of feeling like your band is going nowhere.
“Mom & Dad” is one of the best songs ever. For real. The song is so awesome and loud that the recording actually suffers a bit because the equipment couldn’t handle it. Woods and the rest of the band take their anger out on the kids who always complain about their parents. Is the target someone in specific or something larger? The lyrics mention houses and checks, which draws me to the conclusion it is aimed toward someone specific.
“Hide the Body” and “They Came for Me” follow suit in the same fashion that make Direct Hit! so much fun to listen to. The former is a fast paced pop song about a house call while the latter is about a zombie attack. It may even be an allusion to the song “Living Dead” off their previous EP, telling the point of view from the other side of the story.
#3 is also the first (and as of this writing, only) Direct Hit! EP to feature a bonus 5th song. A early live version of “Choke” (which appears on #4) performed for a live radio appearance. Musically, it is reminiscent of “Blitzkrieg Bop” almost, while lyrically it reflects on how different one sees the world as a young adult.
Much like their first EP, the lyrics of #3 can tell a cohesive story (minus the bonus song). A frontman for a band begins to lose faith in his band ever becoming successful. When he sees another band making tons off of a tired subject, he takes his anger out on them. Cops show up, he tries to cover it up, but in the end gets taken away.
#3 marks a huge change for Direct Hit! while also keeping many of the same qualities that made their first two EPs so charming. They feel like a more complete band at this point. Sure, the music makes use of the 3-minute, 4-chord song as always, but when the songs are this good it doesn’t really make a difference.
Direct Hit! - #4
What is there to say about Direct Hit! that hasn’t been said already?
As the EPs progress the music gets tighter, the song writing is just as strong as ever and the first track even begins with a “FUCK YOU! GET PUMPED!”
The Direct Hit! formula hits it peak with this EP as the band has never sounded better than on this release. It starts off with “Snickers or Reese’s” which seems to be channeling the Arrogant Sons of Bitches at points, but still comes off as original. “Monster in the Closest” is on the sweeter side, but only in the sense that the music is more melodic than and not as aggressive as the song preceding it. A more complete version (I am hesitant to call it the “final” version) of “Choke” is still borrowing ever-so-slightly from the minimalist early-Ramones style and “In Orbit” relies on the gang-vocal approach that only Direct Hit! can present.
Lyrically the band delves into paranoia, nostalgia and still aiming high with their goals. Not that I really know what a schizophrenic actually feels like, but I would imagine that the band takes a step into that light, with their narrators often losing focus on reality. The protagonist of “Snickers or Reese’s” is afraid of someone breaking into his house and killing him. “Monster in the Closet” is kind of like Screeching Weasel’s “Don’t Turn Out the Lights” but much darker and from the point of view of someone who has no hope. “Choke” is the same as the demo, only expanded upon more including changing some of the lyrics into the first person plural.
“In Orbit” is the odd song out. The lyrics are an optimistic sci-fi adventure, living in peace in the post-Earth times (maybe Direct Hit! got tired of blowing up buildings and moved on to the entire planet instead). You also may be able to tell it’s my personal favorite, but I’ll try not to let any bias get in the way. It’s a very sweet song, probably the best in the band’s discography to put on a mix (oops, there goes that bias). But don’t fret- they aren’t going all “Ataris” on us yet and it still retains that eargasmic Direct Hit! sound.
The unfortunate part about this EP is that “Snickers or Reese’s,” “Monster in the Closet” and “In Orbit” are all such amazing songs that “Choke” kind of pales in comparison. That’s not to say it’s a bad song, but it just doesn’t reach the same level as the other three tracks. However, when the only negative thing to say about the EP is that one song is an 8 when the other three are a 10, you know that’s not a bad sign. As much as I love these songs, I hope they remain untouched when the full length drops. Pick this one up ASAP!
Direct Hit! - #5
I’m going to try and paint a picture for you to describe how I feel about Direct Hit!’s fifth EP. Say there’s this band or artist that you enjoy. It doesn’t matter the genre really, it’s just something that you really like. Now let’s say they have a few releases and you keep enjoying it. Then they release something that completely rocks your world. Like, really just blows you away so much that it just can’t get better. It becomes your favorite thing ever and you go and tell all your friends about how amazing it is. You listen to that collection of songs non-stop, never getting sick of it. Then the band comes out with a follow up to that masterpiece and it’s still a very good one, but it just doesn’t leave the same impression on you.
That’s how I can best sum up #5. Just like their other EPs, they keep taking everything they’ve done before and tweaking it ever-so-slightly so the sound continues to gradually evolve. There are more female vocals present in the mix, which is nice because it changes things up. The choruses are still catchy (especially “Captain Asshole”). The lyrics range from the grounded to the mystic. The guitars explore more territory with leads and octaves thrown in. The shouting of “FUCK YOU! GET PUMPED!” is done with more of a howl than a grunt. It’s all a nice step forward really.
I’m not saying that #5 is a letdown, because it isn’t. The only actual complaint is that the introduction to “Captain Asshole” sounds kind of like “Monster in the Closet” but even that’s not a huge problem because at least it sounds like one of their own songs. All four tracks sound wonderful and show the band making more and more progress. Even though it didn’t grab me in the same way that #4 did, it is still very much worth checking out.
Bonus live songs.
Taken (presumably) from the same set as the "Choke" demo, fans are treated to live cuts of "Failed Invasion" and "Hide the Body"(from #3), "Kingdom Come" (off of #1) and a cover of the Ramones classic "Rockaway Beach." They're all pulled off wonderfully and showcase the live talents of Direct Hit! at the time of recording (one can assume that it was sometime before the release of #3). However, since the band's line up has gone through some changes, it can be expected that the live dynamic has shifted since. I am interested in hearing what the band sounds like with the current line up and I can only hope they'll be playing near me sometime soon.
-----------
Wow. That only took forever. Maybe I should've done individual EPs at a time. If you think they sound interesting and want to check them out, #4 and #5 are available (for free download!) at Death to False Hope records. You can check them out here.
Thanks for reading?
Brief history of the band:
Direct Hit! put out 5 EPs over the course of 2008 to 2010, giving them away for free on the internet, but also giving the option to pay. It has said that each EP released was almost like a comic book. In 2010 they also released a split with the band Mixtapes (interestingly enough, that split was missing on my top albums of the year list despite it being wonderful). In late 2010, they decided they were going to record a full length album. So they compiled every song on their EPs alongside some live tracks and threw together a cassette tape compilation to sell to raise money to help record. When those sold out, they also started a campaign to help raise money to mix the full length, giving away a digital copy of the compilation plus a bunch of other stuff (including shirts and stickers). They are (as of this writing) recording their full length album, which will be composed of newly recorded versions of songs on their EPs, as many of the songs, especially earlier ones, have gone under drastic changes and are played differently. Maybe a new song or two as well, that information has not been released to my knowledge.
I guess that's not a very brief history lesson. My bad. For the intents and purposes of my actual review, I'm going to break down the tracks based on their original appearance. They pretty much appear in the same order anyway, so it works out.
Direct Hit! - #1
This is where it begins. The songs are recorded in a lo-fi-ish manner but don't let that makes you think they sound like the Mountain Goats* or anything.
Lyrically, Nick Woods explores the want to get out and become something greater. Best evidenced in track one, "How, When and Why" where the chorus consists of "Come on baby girl, do you wanna take the world over with me?" Clearly he's aiming high on this track and he only takes it further from here.
The next three tracks continue this adventure of escaping toward freedom ("We Are Alone"), being on the run (“Buy Me a Drink”) and getting revenge on the wrong-doers (“Kingdom Come”). It is very possible that the entire EP is a concept of the unnamed protagonist and someone else (perhaps it is Baby Girl?) escaping from their everyday lives. Remember that comic book comparison? Yeah. All of a sudden the bomb on the EP cover makes a little more sense.
Musically, the songs utilize the bare basics in terms of instrumentals: no flashy lead lines or solos, just guitar, bass, drums and keys. That's not to say that the music is boring; not at all. Tracks 1 and 3 are a little more relaxed, while tracks 2 and 4 are faster paced, which reflects the lyrical tones. “How, When and Why” is the initial contemplation of escape, while “Buy Me a Drink” is the point in the story where the protagonist and Baby Girl are thinking about their next move and in both songs there is more palm muting to keep the energy contained. “We Are Alone” is the actual escape and “Kingdom Come” is the part of the story in which the enemy is blown up and the music is much more intense and less restrained.
All-in-all, this EP is the start of something wonderful. Hopefully if any of these songs are re-recorded for the full-length, they are put into the context of a new story. Or all of them are re-recorded and fit into a much larger story with the rest of the tracks.
*no disrespect meant toward Mr. Darnielle, I’m just saying they don't sound the same.
Direct Hit! - #2
This EP wastes no time at all in getting in your face. From the first track running through all 8 and a half minutes to the final number, the only time you get to rest while listening to it is the brief silence between songs.
“Boredom Addict” starts off with a relatively slow (compared to the rest of the EP so it’s not really slow) intro and turns into the “woah-oh” heavy ode to sitting around doing nothing and still turning that nothingness into a song. Generally when people write a song about doing nothing while blazed, you get something like Sublime, but even Direct Hit! manages to make being bored into something exciting.
The best way to describe “I Wanna Know” is “frantic.” Think early-Bomb the Music Industry! but with a full band playing in time with each other.
“Living Dead” marks where the EP begins to really shine. It’s got it all: chants of “heys,” palm-muted verses and a “we don’t give a fuck” attitude. No, really. It’s in the chorus:
“We don't give a fuck about your ethics, who you are, where you come from or all the other shit you've done. We don't care at all about obsessions, your confessions, we don't care about the office you have run”
It’s also most likely about being a zombie. Gotta get into this things before they’re overplayed.
“Arson Hero” is the highlight of the EP. The lyrics are comparable to those found on #1; being stuck in a rut of everyday life and changing things up by blowing up a building. It is also noteworthy to mention that each line in the song (save for the bridge) has a number that counts up in numerical order, ending with 27 by the end.
Direct Hit!’s second EP has a higher production value than their first. Every single track is also packed with relentless energy and never letting up. That said, it is not as cohesive as a release as the rest of their discography. Even then though, it is not a bad EP at all and an essential part to the Direct Hit! collection.
Direct Hit! - #3
“FUCK YOU! GET PUMPED!”
That’s the greeting that listeners get while listening to Direct Hit!’s third EP. It is also the first appearance (hearing? Whatever the aural equivalent of an appearance is) of what is now a Direct Hit! staple: as it has become somewhat of a “slogan” for the band.
Nick Woods’ lyrics take the best of the previous two EPs and mixes them well. On “Failed Invasion” he continues to use imagery of war and blowing shit up while blending it with the mundane aspects of life, this time the hardships of feeling like your band is going nowhere.
“Mom & Dad” is one of the best songs ever. For real. The song is so awesome and loud that the recording actually suffers a bit because the equipment couldn’t handle it. Woods and the rest of the band take their anger out on the kids who always complain about their parents. Is the target someone in specific or something larger? The lyrics mention houses and checks, which draws me to the conclusion it is aimed toward someone specific.
“Hide the Body” and “They Came for Me” follow suit in the same fashion that make Direct Hit! so much fun to listen to. The former is a fast paced pop song about a house call while the latter is about a zombie attack. It may even be an allusion to the song “Living Dead” off their previous EP, telling the point of view from the other side of the story.
#3 is also the first (and as of this writing, only) Direct Hit! EP to feature a bonus 5th song. A early live version of “Choke” (which appears on #4) performed for a live radio appearance. Musically, it is reminiscent of “Blitzkrieg Bop” almost, while lyrically it reflects on how different one sees the world as a young adult.
Much like their first EP, the lyrics of #3 can tell a cohesive story (minus the bonus song). A frontman for a band begins to lose faith in his band ever becoming successful. When he sees another band making tons off of a tired subject, he takes his anger out on them. Cops show up, he tries to cover it up, but in the end gets taken away.
#3 marks a huge change for Direct Hit! while also keeping many of the same qualities that made their first two EPs so charming. They feel like a more complete band at this point. Sure, the music makes use of the 3-minute, 4-chord song as always, but when the songs are this good it doesn’t really make a difference.
Direct Hit! - #4
What is there to say about Direct Hit! that hasn’t been said already?
As the EPs progress the music gets tighter, the song writing is just as strong as ever and the first track even begins with a “FUCK YOU! GET PUMPED!”
The Direct Hit! formula hits it peak with this EP as the band has never sounded better than on this release. It starts off with “Snickers or Reese’s” which seems to be channeling the Arrogant Sons of Bitches at points, but still comes off as original. “Monster in the Closest” is on the sweeter side, but only in the sense that the music is more melodic than and not as aggressive as the song preceding it. A more complete version (I am hesitant to call it the “final” version) of “Choke” is still borrowing ever-so-slightly from the minimalist early-Ramones style and “In Orbit” relies on the gang-vocal approach that only Direct Hit! can present.
Lyrically the band delves into paranoia, nostalgia and still aiming high with their goals. Not that I really know what a schizophrenic actually feels like, but I would imagine that the band takes a step into that light, with their narrators often losing focus on reality. The protagonist of “Snickers or Reese’s” is afraid of someone breaking into his house and killing him. “Monster in the Closet” is kind of like Screeching Weasel’s “Don’t Turn Out the Lights” but much darker and from the point of view of someone who has no hope. “Choke” is the same as the demo, only expanded upon more including changing some of the lyrics into the first person plural.
“In Orbit” is the odd song out. The lyrics are an optimistic sci-fi adventure, living in peace in the post-Earth times (maybe Direct Hit! got tired of blowing up buildings and moved on to the entire planet instead). You also may be able to tell it’s my personal favorite, but I’ll try not to let any bias get in the way. It’s a very sweet song, probably the best in the band’s discography to put on a mix (oops, there goes that bias). But don’t fret- they aren’t going all “Ataris” on us yet and it still retains that eargasmic Direct Hit! sound.
The unfortunate part about this EP is that “Snickers or Reese’s,” “Monster in the Closet” and “In Orbit” are all such amazing songs that “Choke” kind of pales in comparison. That’s not to say it’s a bad song, but it just doesn’t reach the same level as the other three tracks. However, when the only negative thing to say about the EP is that one song is an 8 when the other three are a 10, you know that’s not a bad sign. As much as I love these songs, I hope they remain untouched when the full length drops. Pick this one up ASAP!
Direct Hit! - #5
I’m going to try and paint a picture for you to describe how I feel about Direct Hit!’s fifth EP. Say there’s this band or artist that you enjoy. It doesn’t matter the genre really, it’s just something that you really like. Now let’s say they have a few releases and you keep enjoying it. Then they release something that completely rocks your world. Like, really just blows you away so much that it just can’t get better. It becomes your favorite thing ever and you go and tell all your friends about how amazing it is. You listen to that collection of songs non-stop, never getting sick of it. Then the band comes out with a follow up to that masterpiece and it’s still a very good one, but it just doesn’t leave the same impression on you.
That’s how I can best sum up #5. Just like their other EPs, they keep taking everything they’ve done before and tweaking it ever-so-slightly so the sound continues to gradually evolve. There are more female vocals present in the mix, which is nice because it changes things up. The choruses are still catchy (especially “Captain Asshole”). The lyrics range from the grounded to the mystic. The guitars explore more territory with leads and octaves thrown in. The shouting of “FUCK YOU! GET PUMPED!” is done with more of a howl than a grunt. It’s all a nice step forward really.
I’m not saying that #5 is a letdown, because it isn’t. The only actual complaint is that the introduction to “Captain Asshole” sounds kind of like “Monster in the Closet” but even that’s not a huge problem because at least it sounds like one of their own songs. All four tracks sound wonderful and show the band making more and more progress. Even though it didn’t grab me in the same way that #4 did, it is still very much worth checking out.
Bonus live songs.
Taken (presumably) from the same set as the "Choke" demo, fans are treated to live cuts of "Failed Invasion" and "Hide the Body"(from #3), "Kingdom Come" (off of #1) and a cover of the Ramones classic "Rockaway Beach." They're all pulled off wonderfully and showcase the live talents of Direct Hit! at the time of recording (one can assume that it was sometime before the release of #3). However, since the band's line up has gone through some changes, it can be expected that the live dynamic has shifted since. I am interested in hearing what the band sounds like with the current line up and I can only hope they'll be playing near me sometime soon.
-----------
Wow. That only took forever. Maybe I should've done individual EPs at a time. If you think they sound interesting and want to check them out, #4 and #5 are available (for free download!) at Death to False Hope records. You can check them out here.
Thanks for reading?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About
I've been thinking about talking about some of my favorite albums on this blog lately, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Anyway, here's the first attempt.
The Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About (1999)
The Get Up Kids are one of the reasons why bands like Fall Out Boy and All Time Low exist. The Get Up Kids are also one of the best indie pop bands of the 90s. This may sound like a contradiction, but try to stay with me here.
I'm not going to go into a history lesson on what "emo" is, where and when the term originated or the evolution of the music that the term described. For that, you can go here. However one may use the term, if I use the word "emo" in this review, I am referring to the sounds of 90s emo (err... 90s midwestern emo).
Back to the topic on hand. 1999's Something to Write Home About is one of the last great albums of the 90's emo movement, back before emo was primarily about the fashion. All 12 tracks are about girls, wanting them, losing them or both. It is a tad overkill, but the opposite gender is a very popular subject to write songs about. Nearly every song is also very chord progression based, with a steady drum and bass to keep rhythm with just a hint of piano and/or keyboard layered on top. Maybe the Get Up Kids aren't going to win any awards for writing any Kid A-esque tunes, but at the same time, if you want to hear that, why listen to emo in the first place?
The problem with modern day emo is that a lot of bands blame the girl for messing up the singer. They always say things like "it's all your fault" or something and the songs are a way to find revenge on this demon hellspawn who messed up their life so badly. Not the Get Up Kids though. Yes, they are upset at the women who broke their hearts, but not to the point where Glassjaw takes it. The Get Up Kids are more reflective of their own actions and are more willing to accept the blame. This sounds kind of depressing and it is. But at the same time, this is what makes this album so endearing and easy to relate to.
On the track Valentine, lead songwriter Matt Pryor quietly asks "if you're sorry why wage war?" which I think is a nice little summary of every relationship gone sour. Because who hasn't felt that way before about someone who keeps fighting with you even when trying to apologize and make up?
It's not always "hey, we're both to blame" though. In Action & Action (the album's sole single), Pryor accuses "every mistake that I make, I couldn't have made without you" which is more of a backhanded admittance to screwing up than anything else. But hey, no matter how mature you try to be about some exes, when you've been wronged, you've been wronged and feelings can sometimes be hard to control. This is even more prevalent in the track Red Letter Day when Pryor is more or less screaming "how could you do this to me?!"
The highlight of the album is the latter-side track, "I'm a Loner Dottie, A Rebel..." which is a Pee-Wee's Big Adventure reference for those of you who don't get it. One of the more energetic and anthemic tracks (right next to the lone Jim Suptic contribution, Ten Minutes) and I'm not sure if my words can do it justice, so I found it on YouTube so you can judge for yourself.
(the track itself is just over three minutes long, this video has about two and a half minutes of extra silence).
The album's final track is probably the happiest (lyrically) of them all. Rather than thinking back on past relationships gone awry, Pryor takes an unexpected turn and begins crooning about a girl who he wouldn't "trade anything" for because she's "his everything." He also drops a Jawbreaker reference so bonus points for that.
All-in-all, there isn't anything overly unique about Something to Write Home About, especially since the wave of copycats that rose up after its release (speaking of which, Jim Suptic had a thing or two to say about that). But the Get Up Kids did a damn fine job at executed this tried and true formula. And in the end, you can be as technical as you want, but if you're missing the heart and soul then what's the point?
The Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About (1999)
The Get Up Kids are one of the reasons why bands like Fall Out Boy and All Time Low exist. The Get Up Kids are also one of the best indie pop bands of the 90s. This may sound like a contradiction, but try to stay with me here.
I'm not going to go into a history lesson on what "emo" is, where and when the term originated or the evolution of the music that the term described. For that, you can go here. However one may use the term, if I use the word "emo" in this review, I am referring to the sounds of 90s emo (err... 90s midwestern emo).
Back to the topic on hand. 1999's Something to Write Home About is one of the last great albums of the 90's emo movement, back before emo was primarily about the fashion. All 12 tracks are about girls, wanting them, losing them or both. It is a tad overkill, but the opposite gender is a very popular subject to write songs about. Nearly every song is also very chord progression based, with a steady drum and bass to keep rhythm with just a hint of piano and/or keyboard layered on top. Maybe the Get Up Kids aren't going to win any awards for writing any Kid A-esque tunes, but at the same time, if you want to hear that, why listen to emo in the first place?
The problem with modern day emo is that a lot of bands blame the girl for messing up the singer. They always say things like "it's all your fault" or something and the songs are a way to find revenge on this demon hellspawn who messed up their life so badly. Not the Get Up Kids though. Yes, they are upset at the women who broke their hearts, but not to the point where Glassjaw takes it. The Get Up Kids are more reflective of their own actions and are more willing to accept the blame. This sounds kind of depressing and it is. But at the same time, this is what makes this album so endearing and easy to relate to.
On the track Valentine, lead songwriter Matt Pryor quietly asks "if you're sorry why wage war?" which I think is a nice little summary of every relationship gone sour. Because who hasn't felt that way before about someone who keeps fighting with you even when trying to apologize and make up?
It's not always "hey, we're both to blame" though. In Action & Action (the album's sole single), Pryor accuses "every mistake that I make, I couldn't have made without you" which is more of a backhanded admittance to screwing up than anything else. But hey, no matter how mature you try to be about some exes, when you've been wronged, you've been wronged and feelings can sometimes be hard to control. This is even more prevalent in the track Red Letter Day when Pryor is more or less screaming "how could you do this to me?!"
The highlight of the album is the latter-side track, "I'm a Loner Dottie, A Rebel..." which is a Pee-Wee's Big Adventure reference for those of you who don't get it. One of the more energetic and anthemic tracks (right next to the lone Jim Suptic contribution, Ten Minutes) and I'm not sure if my words can do it justice, so I found it on YouTube so you can judge for yourself.
(the track itself is just over three minutes long, this video has about two and a half minutes of extra silence).
The album's final track is probably the happiest (lyrically) of them all. Rather than thinking back on past relationships gone awry, Pryor takes an unexpected turn and begins crooning about a girl who he wouldn't "trade anything" for because she's "his everything." He also drops a Jawbreaker reference so bonus points for that.
All-in-all, there isn't anything overly unique about Something to Write Home About, especially since the wave of copycats that rose up after its release (speaking of which, Jim Suptic had a thing or two to say about that). But the Get Up Kids did a damn fine job at executed this tried and true formula. And in the end, you can be as technical as you want, but if you're missing the heart and soul then what's the point?
Saturday, January 22, 2011
50 Book Challenge: Book 3
I actually finished this book about two days ago. I've just been too busy forgetful to post.
Slam by Nick Hornby
I guess I have a thing for British authors. Nick Horny is the man who also wrote such classics as High Fidelity, About a Boy and How to Be Good. High Fidelity is one of my favorite novels (as well as movies). About a Boy and How to Be Good were also both (to be repetitive) good novels (the film version of About a Boy was okay and as far as I know How to Be Good as yet to been turned into one). What I really like about Nick Hornby's characters is how easy they are to relate to- even if you're nothing like them at all. Slam's protagonist/narrator is Sam, a British 15 year old who skateboards. I'm an American 20-something who plays guitar. And yet all the feelings and thoughts that Sam experiences are very similar to how I either acted in my adolescence or how I probably would've acted had I been stuck in the same situation.
I don't want to give away the plot too much, but the main part of the story does revolve around Sam making a mess out of his life right as things finally began to come together. It's a good, heart-warming (sort of) story and has a mostly sweet ending. I'm sure at some point down the line it'll be turned into a movie even though it would've worked out really well as a movie in the later half of 2007 (coincidentally that was the copyright year). If you don't know what that means, maybe read the book and then reflect on the movies that came out in 2007.
Yep. That's all I've got to say on that.
Slam by Nick Hornby
I guess I have a thing for British authors. Nick Horny is the man who also wrote such classics as High Fidelity, About a Boy and How to Be Good. High Fidelity is one of my favorite novels (as well as movies). About a Boy and How to Be Good were also both (to be repetitive) good novels (the film version of About a Boy was okay and as far as I know How to Be Good as yet to been turned into one). What I really like about Nick Hornby's characters is how easy they are to relate to- even if you're nothing like them at all. Slam's protagonist/narrator is Sam, a British 15 year old who skateboards. I'm an American 20-something who plays guitar. And yet all the feelings and thoughts that Sam experiences are very similar to how I either acted in my adolescence or how I probably would've acted had I been stuck in the same situation.
I don't want to give away the plot too much, but the main part of the story does revolve around Sam making a mess out of his life right as things finally began to come together. It's a good, heart-warming (sort of) story and has a mostly sweet ending. I'm sure at some point down the line it'll be turned into a movie even though it would've worked out really well as a movie in the later half of 2007 (coincidentally that was the copyright year). If you don't know what that means, maybe read the book and then reflect on the movies that came out in 2007.
Yep. That's all I've got to say on that.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
50 Book Challenge Books 1 and 2
So like I said, here are the first two books that I've already read this year.
1. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Last year I started reading novels by Neil Gaiman and discovered I really liked his writing. I read American Gods, Neverwhere and Coraline and loved them all. My friend recommended Anansi Boys, stating that it was her favorite Gaiman novel. Not that I doubted her and thought it would be awful, I just never got around to reading it until now. It might've been my favorite Gaiman novel too. The plot is simple enough: a man hears that his estranged father has passed away and after the funeral he finds out that his father was a God (Anansi the Spider from African folklore to be specific) and that he's got a brother. He meets said brother and hijinks ensue. That's kind of a poor summary, but I don't really want to give away any details should anyone stumbled upon this blog and read it. Either way, it was a very entertaining read and much more light-hearted than American Gods (generally praised as Gaiman's best work, as well as a semi-related novel to Anansi Boys; if only that the character of Anansi appears in both). Anyone remotely interested in fantasy or adventure should check it out.
2. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Another Gaiman novel, although this one was done alongside Terry Pratchett, best known for his Discworld series. This one is about the apocalypse and its postponement due to a number of things including an angel and demon rather liking life on Earth as well as the misplacement of the anti-Christ. Hilarity ensues and a good time is had by all (well... most). After reading this, I definitely want to read some of the Discworld novels.
And that's that. I did the math and I should be trying to aim for at least 4-5 books a month if I want to reach 50 (assuming I go at a steady, even pace). I should get on that.
1. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Last year I started reading novels by Neil Gaiman and discovered I really liked his writing. I read American Gods, Neverwhere and Coraline and loved them all. My friend recommended Anansi Boys, stating that it was her favorite Gaiman novel. Not that I doubted her and thought it would be awful, I just never got around to reading it until now. It might've been my favorite Gaiman novel too. The plot is simple enough: a man hears that his estranged father has passed away and after the funeral he finds out that his father was a God (Anansi the Spider from African folklore to be specific) and that he's got a brother. He meets said brother and hijinks ensue. That's kind of a poor summary, but I don't really want to give away any details should anyone stumbled upon this blog and read it. Either way, it was a very entertaining read and much more light-hearted than American Gods (generally praised as Gaiman's best work, as well as a semi-related novel to Anansi Boys; if only that the character of Anansi appears in both). Anyone remotely interested in fantasy or adventure should check it out.
2. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Another Gaiman novel, although this one was done alongside Terry Pratchett, best known for his Discworld series. This one is about the apocalypse and its postponement due to a number of things including an angel and demon rather liking life on Earth as well as the misplacement of the anti-Christ. Hilarity ensues and a good time is had by all (well... most). After reading this, I definitely want to read some of the Discworld novels.
And that's that. I did the math and I should be trying to aim for at least 4-5 books a month if I want to reach 50 (assuming I go at a steady, even pace). I should get on that.
50 Book Challenge
So I've decided to try and complete the 50 Book Challenge this year. It is currently January 18th (or so my watch tells me) and I'm already two in. Which means I guess I'm not doing too badly just yet. However, for this challenge, I do want to set some rules for myself (or else it wouldn't be a challenge). Thus far, the two books that I have read met the criteria I am setting for myself. It won't be super strict, just some ground rules:
1. In order to count, I can't have read the book in its entirety before.
I'm pretty sure this rule is a given, and most people who do attempt the 50 Book Challenge only count books they haven't read yet. That said, in the past there have been books that I started to read but would stop mid-way through it for whatever reason. If I were to pick up one of these books, start from the beginning and read through to the ending, I would count it. This might be bending someone else's rules, but it makes sense to me because I would still be reading a story where I don't know everything that happens.
2. Illustrations are fine, so long as there's some sort of (semi)complex plot that follows with the illustrations. In other words, Graphic Novels will count, but The Very Hungry Caterpillar would not. Not that children's books can't be complex (see Dr. Seuss's Fox in Socks), but the reading level should be at least that of a young adult novel, if not older.
2a. If it is a comic or graphic novel and comes in several issues, each part much be read to count as the "full story." So for example, if I wanted to read The Long Halloween, I would have to read each issue to count as one book. Except I've already read The Long Halloween so it won't count toward this year.
3. I'm talking about books that I've read beginning in January 2011. Even though I got a lot of reading done last semester, the slate has been wiped clean for the new year.
That's all for now. If I establish any other rules I'll post them. Tomorrow I'll also list the books that I've already read and maybe a short review or something.
1. In order to count, I can't have read the book in its entirety before.
I'm pretty sure this rule is a given, and most people who do attempt the 50 Book Challenge only count books they haven't read yet. That said, in the past there have been books that I started to read but would stop mid-way through it for whatever reason. If I were to pick up one of these books, start from the beginning and read through to the ending, I would count it. This might be bending someone else's rules, but it makes sense to me because I would still be reading a story where I don't know everything that happens.
2. Illustrations are fine, so long as there's some sort of (semi)complex plot that follows with the illustrations. In other words, Graphic Novels will count, but The Very Hungry Caterpillar would not. Not that children's books can't be complex (see Dr. Seuss's Fox in Socks), but the reading level should be at least that of a young adult novel, if not older.
2a. If it is a comic or graphic novel and comes in several issues, each part much be read to count as the "full story." So for example, if I wanted to read The Long Halloween, I would have to read each issue to count as one book. Except I've already read The Long Halloween so it won't count toward this year.
3. I'm talking about books that I've read beginning in January 2011. Even though I got a lot of reading done last semester, the slate has been wiped clean for the new year.
That's all for now. If I establish any other rules I'll post them. Tomorrow I'll also list the books that I've already read and maybe a short review or something.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
I really like making mixes. For someone special, for myself, for a friend, anyone really. It's even better when I have a slight understanding on a person's musical taste, because then I can work around that instead of working in the dark.
Anyway, it's a new year. Same old stuff though. Went to New Paltz to celebrate. Ended up spooning Alan. Woke up in a stranger's apartment. Had Burger King for lunch despite feeling like I had to throw up. I'm going to miss being able to do that on a regular basis.
I walked through campus in the morning and forgot to walk by Crispell to see how the construction status is doing on that. Oops. Next time... next time.
The resume building and job hunt begins next week... yay.
Anyway, it's a new year. Same old stuff though. Went to New Paltz to celebrate. Ended up spooning Alan. Woke up in a stranger's apartment. Had Burger King for lunch despite feeling like I had to throw up. I'm going to miss being able to do that on a regular basis.
I walked through campus in the morning and forgot to walk by Crispell to see how the construction status is doing on that. Oops. Next time... next time.
The resume building and job hunt begins next week... yay.
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