Thursday, December 29, 2005
last radio show of the year
The last Mesmerization Eclipse of 2005 airs today on WZBC from 3 to 5 pm. They've got streams. Make it happen.
The last Mesmerization Eclipse of 2005 airs today on WZBC from 3 to 5 pm. They've got streams. Make it happen.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
stuff in the flagpole
I've got some stuff in the Flagpole this week. Oh what mighty interest you shall take in this stuff. Such stuff never have y'all believed to be possible. Oh.
I've got some stuff in the Flagpole this week. Oh what mighty interest you shall take in this stuff. Such stuff never have y'all believed to be possible. Oh.
2005 is Rap Time
2005 will go down in history as the year in which rap was discovered. Last Sunday, December 11th, in particular, is the very day on which this momentous event occurred. Before last Sunday rap was something you'd hear at parties or nightclubs, and maybe occasionally enjoy, but never really "get", culturally, in the way that you inherently understand, say, wanky, noodly, instrumental math-rock, or tastefully melodic indie-rock played by goat-voiced lit majors. After 2005, though, rap is fair game for the sallow and/or bespectacled, and I, for one, am proud to have helped open this astonishing new vista for all of you out there in wrongheaded-opinion-laced internet-land.
Here are a few rap singles worth searching for, in case you are interested in accompanying me on this exhilarating new musical journey. MTV2's Sucker Free Sunday Top 20 Countdown is a good place to start; in fact, all these songs were on this past Sunday's countdown.
"Georgia", by Field Mob feat. Ludacris: I like it because it's about Georgia.
"Flossin'", by Mike Jones feat. Big Moe: "My album / Who is Mike Jones / coming soon / my album / Who is Mike Jones / coming soon" is the lyric of the year, just narrowly beating out "Mike Jones! / who? / Mike Jones!".
"Stay Fly", by the Three 6 Mafia: This is truly one insidiously catchy hook. It's been stuck in my head since Sunday. And although he doesn't put in the best verse, Crunchy Black will always be first in my heart.
"Heard 'Em Say", by Kanye West feat. Adam Levine: This one's beautiful enough for a mother or school-teacher to like. I am so totally not threatened by this song.
"Laffy Taffy", by D4L: A third-grader could write this song. And they'd probably at least have the good sense to realized it sucked within five minutes or so.
"Window Shopper", by 50 Cent: I fully endorse 50's beverage choices, but his musical taste leaves much to be desired. There's little of the wit or musical deftness found in the work of people like Jay-Z, Ludacris, or Stephen Wiley. I will admit that 50 does have one hell of a smile, though, and his rippling muscles stir strange feelings of desire and longing within my tender loins.
2005 will go down in history as the year in which rap was discovered. Last Sunday, December 11th, in particular, is the very day on which this momentous event occurred. Before last Sunday rap was something you'd hear at parties or nightclubs, and maybe occasionally enjoy, but never really "get", culturally, in the way that you inherently understand, say, wanky, noodly, instrumental math-rock, or tastefully melodic indie-rock played by goat-voiced lit majors. After 2005, though, rap is fair game for the sallow and/or bespectacled, and I, for one, am proud to have helped open this astonishing new vista for all of you out there in wrongheaded-opinion-laced internet-land.
Here are a few rap singles worth searching for, in case you are interested in accompanying me on this exhilarating new musical journey. MTV2's Sucker Free Sunday Top 20 Countdown is a good place to start; in fact, all these songs were on this past Sunday's countdown.
"Georgia", by Field Mob feat. Ludacris: I like it because it's about Georgia.
"Flossin'", by Mike Jones feat. Big Moe: "My album / Who is Mike Jones / coming soon / my album / Who is Mike Jones / coming soon" is the lyric of the year, just narrowly beating out "Mike Jones! / who? / Mike Jones!".
"Stay Fly", by the Three 6 Mafia: This is truly one insidiously catchy hook. It's been stuck in my head since Sunday. And although he doesn't put in the best verse, Crunchy Black will always be first in my heart.
"Heard 'Em Say", by Kanye West feat. Adam Levine: This one's beautiful enough for a mother or school-teacher to like. I am so totally not threatened by this song.
"Laffy Taffy", by D4L: A third-grader could write this song. And they'd probably at least have the good sense to realized it sucked within five minutes or so.
"Window Shopper", by 50 Cent: I fully endorse 50's beverage choices, but his musical taste leaves much to be desired. There's little of the wit or musical deftness found in the work of people like Jay-Z, Ludacris, or Stephen Wiley. I will admit that 50 does have one hell of a smile, though, and his rippling muscles stir strange feelings of desire and longing within my tender loins.
5 Records More Repetitive Than Who Is Mike Jones
(here's some unclaimed nonsense that oozed out of me a few weeks ago. I'll have a real-life top ten hoohaw up one minute after midnight on January 1st.)
Best known as that guy named Mike Jones, Mike Jones has ridden his unified theory of rappery to the top of the rappin' charts. Repeating himself endlessly was the key to his success, and his single-minded persistence has influenced an entire burgeoning subgenre of mind-expanding, experimental hip-hop. Instead of repeating certain words or phrases ad infinitum, these intrepid explorers extend entire musical figures, or even single notes, for as long as a human’s consciousness can endure. Forget "screw", “drone” is where the “kids” are at now, and here's a brief rundown on some of the best drone “joints” of the year.
Excepter, Throne, Load Records: Between any two defined points lie an infinite number of points. Between any two defined points on Throne lies an infinite amount of utter badassedness. Excepter's churning exercise in Biblical cosmogony howls like the furthest regions of known creation. Not just the best drone record of the year, the best album overall, for my money.
Double Leopards, Out of One, Through One and To One, Eclipse Records: Deep druidic drones, shifting like tectonic plates, or the tiny bones of your skulls doing an impersonation thereof. The music of the Double Leopards sounds less created than summoned.
Skaters, Pavilionous Miracles of Circular Facet Dice, Chocolate Monk: If the secrets of spiritual knowledge are encoded in the architecture of cathedrals, then the Skaters have been constructing miniature Chartres through feedback and delay for a couple of years now. With a karaoke machine, two voices, and a multitude of effects pedals, the Skaters orchestrate a gospel music wherein the Lord is truly all-encompassing, and kind of splattery, too.
Davenport, O, Too High Ditty For My Simple Rhyme, Time-Lag Records: Slowly unfolding rustic rumbling that is tolerant and welcoming of all cultures. It's like Eastern Mysticism Hee-Haw in Thule, with fiddles and throat-singing and probably zithers, and shit, too. Mostly, though, this two-track album is a nice, warm-hearted American take on classic icy Nordicism, with some Buddhist stuff thrown in for good measure.
Avarus, Ruskea Timantti, tUMULt Records: In actuality a compilation, but one released in ’05, and mostly of music almost impossible to find in America, so we’ll let it slide. Avarus is the all-consuming vortex at the center of the bally-hooed Finnish improv-folk scene. Avarus records are generally pretty excellent, but the main reason to pick this up is for the amazing number “AVP”. Its propulsive minimalism sounds like Can playing Terry Riley, and is a guaranteed twenty minutes of blissful mental paralysis.
(here's some unclaimed nonsense that oozed out of me a few weeks ago. I'll have a real-life top ten hoohaw up one minute after midnight on January 1st.)
Best known as that guy named Mike Jones, Mike Jones has ridden his unified theory of rappery to the top of the rappin' charts. Repeating himself endlessly was the key to his success, and his single-minded persistence has influenced an entire burgeoning subgenre of mind-expanding, experimental hip-hop. Instead of repeating certain words or phrases ad infinitum, these intrepid explorers extend entire musical figures, or even single notes, for as long as a human’s consciousness can endure. Forget "screw", “drone” is where the “kids” are at now, and here's a brief rundown on some of the best drone “joints” of the year.
Excepter, Throne, Load Records: Between any two defined points lie an infinite number of points. Between any two defined points on Throne lies an infinite amount of utter badassedness. Excepter's churning exercise in Biblical cosmogony howls like the furthest regions of known creation. Not just the best drone record of the year, the best album overall, for my money.
Double Leopards, Out of One, Through One and To One, Eclipse Records: Deep druidic drones, shifting like tectonic plates, or the tiny bones of your skulls doing an impersonation thereof. The music of the Double Leopards sounds less created than summoned.
Skaters, Pavilionous Miracles of Circular Facet Dice, Chocolate Monk: If the secrets of spiritual knowledge are encoded in the architecture of cathedrals, then the Skaters have been constructing miniature Chartres through feedback and delay for a couple of years now. With a karaoke machine, two voices, and a multitude of effects pedals, the Skaters orchestrate a gospel music wherein the Lord is truly all-encompassing, and kind of splattery, too.
Davenport, O, Too High Ditty For My Simple Rhyme, Time-Lag Records: Slowly unfolding rustic rumbling that is tolerant and welcoming of all cultures. It's like Eastern Mysticism Hee-Haw in Thule, with fiddles and throat-singing and probably zithers, and shit, too. Mostly, though, this two-track album is a nice, warm-hearted American take on classic icy Nordicism, with some Buddhist stuff thrown in for good measure.
Avarus, Ruskea Timantti, tUMULt Records: In actuality a compilation, but one released in ’05, and mostly of music almost impossible to find in America, so we’ll let it slide. Avarus is the all-consuming vortex at the center of the bally-hooed Finnish improv-folk scene. Avarus records are generally pretty excellent, but the main reason to pick this up is for the amazing number “AVP”. Its propulsive minimalism sounds like Can playing Terry Riley, and is a guaranteed twenty minutes of blissful mental paralysis.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Sarah Handel's Honorable Mentions
decemberists
"picaresque"
common
"be"
bettye lavette
"i've got my own hell to raise" just got it, may be in top 10 at later date
fiona apple
"extraordinary machine"
hold steady
"separation sunday" it's the bar rock
wolf parade
"apologies to the queen mary"
danger doom
"the mouse and the mask"
bright eyes
"digital ash in a digital urn" remarkable because i didn't hate it
sun kil moon
"tiny cities"
of montreal
"sunlandic twins"
matt pond pa
"several arrows later" would've made top 10 because i became obsessed with them this year, but i don't feel like this is their strongest release
pernice brothers
"discover a lovelier you"
holopaw
"quit +/or fight"
decemberists
"picaresque"
common
"be"
bettye lavette
"i've got my own hell to raise" just got it, may be in top 10 at later date
fiona apple
"extraordinary machine"
hold steady
"separation sunday" it's the bar rock
wolf parade
"apologies to the queen mary"
danger doom
"the mouse and the mask"
bright eyes
"digital ash in a digital urn" remarkable because i didn't hate it
sun kil moon
"tiny cities"
of montreal
"sunlandic twins"
matt pond pa
"several arrows later" would've made top 10 because i became obsessed with them this year, but i don't feel like this is their strongest release
pernice brothers
"discover a lovelier you"
holopaw
"quit +/or fight"
sarah handels' top ten songs
10 fiona - "extraordinary machine" - impossible to sing along to, impossible not to try
9 death cab - "marching bands of manhattan" - best use of MARCHING BANDS (yeah that's right, it's COOL!) (sorry gwen, you did alright too)
8 mike doughty - "white lexus" - took me straight back to '95 with that voice
7 rogue wave TIE - "publish my love" and "salesman at the day of the parade"
6 the killers - "mr. brightside" - work that eyeliner, boy
5 amerie - "1 thing" - shake that ass!
4 trick daddy - "sugar" - album out in '04, but debuted on the billboard charts in early '05
. i really wanted it for my ringtone but never got around to it.
3 kanye west "heard 'em say" - that adam levine hook is hypnotq
2 mountain goats - "this year" - who hasn't felt like this? "i am going to make it through this year if it KILLS me" driving beat awesome
1 kelly clarkson -
"since u been gone" - i drop everything and scream along when this comes on. no matter what.
10 fiona - "extraordinary machine" - impossible to sing along to, impossible not to try
9 death cab - "marching bands of manhattan" - best use of MARCHING BANDS (yeah that's right, it's COOL!) (sorry gwen, you did alright too)
8 mike doughty - "white lexus" - took me straight back to '95 with that voice
7 rogue wave TIE - "publish my love" and "salesman at the day of the parade"
6 the killers - "mr. brightside" - work that eyeliner, boy
5 amerie - "1 thing" - shake that ass!
4 trick daddy - "sugar" - album out in '04, but debuted on the billboard charts in early '05
. i really wanted it for my ringtone but never got around to it.
3 kanye west "heard 'em say" - that adam levine hook is hypnotq
2 mountain goats - "this year" - who hasn't felt like this? "i am going to make it through this year if it KILLS me" driving beat awesome
1 kelly clarkson -
"since u been gone" - i drop everything and scream along when this comes on. no matter what.
sarah handel makes lists
freakin' hell... I'm drunk at my parent's house at 6:25... but this ain't about me. It's about SARAH HANDEL and her totally bitchin' year-end lists. She's "literally not allowed to have a blog", and so asked if we could post her thoughts right here and now. So here's the albums list, followed closely by song/singles...
top ten albums
10.5 ben folds - songs for silverman - wasn't originally going to be on this but i was going through the disc looking for a single for that top 10 when i realized... i actually really like the first half of this album. all downhill after "trusted."
TIE 10 fruit bats - "spelled in bones" - kind of a sleeper, to me anyway. sounds a lot like something i would've liked 7 years ago, but better. so what if "legs of bees" could appear on a shins record without anyone batting an eye?
10 death cab for cutie - "plans" - solid release, exactly what you want to hear from death cab. different enough from "transatlanticism" to sound like something new, but similar enough to feel like returning to flannel sheets after a long summer - cozy and you never want to wake up. bonus points for a song where Sarah's the muse.
9 bloc party - "silent alarm" - almost didn't make the list because i couldn't really remember it, but i brought it in to jam first thing at work, and it rocks. sets me up right for a day of battle.
8 rogue wave - "descended like vultures" - sub pop kicked a whole lot of ass this year. the 1-2-3 punch of "bird on a wire," "publish my love," and "salesman at the day parade" is like a valentine from the one person you never thought would notice you. euphoric.
7 shout out louds - "howl howl gaff gaff" - super pop album. totally underrated. a little grimy, a little cocky, a lot of pop beauty.
6 antony and the johnsons - "i am a bird now" - it took me many listens to "get it" but now that i have...indescribable. aching, heartbraking, soulful. sure don't sound like no white boy.
5 go team - "thunder lightning strike" - it may be cheating since we were all rocking this in '04, but since it's officially an '05 record in america, it makes the list.
4 andrew bird and "the mysterious production of eggs" - a marked improvement over weather systems, which i also loved, but it had its lulls (haha). eggs is full of twisted wordplay, layered melodies, and intriguing instrumentation... sounds like a recipe for an "interesting" record not a good one, but this is a case where interesting and intelligent translates to likeable and accessible.
3 kanye west - "late registration" - oh kanye, my kanye. everyone at NPR (OK, not everyone, but people in multiple departments) calls me when he's on the TV. how can you dress like a countryclubber and rock me so hard?
2 sufjan stevens - "illinois" - simply the best. ok, second best. 2/3 of these songs make my heart soar, the other 1/3 are better than 99% of all music ever. what can i say that hasn't been said?
1 crooked fingers - "dignity and shame" - just call me mrs. bachman. PLEASE call me mrs. bachman. take heed of my call to love. perfect perfect album, not a dud on it, and each song invites you in and makes you part of it. definitely the album most like living your own movie.
freakin' hell... I'm drunk at my parent's house at 6:25... but this ain't about me. It's about SARAH HANDEL and her totally bitchin' year-end lists. She's "literally not allowed to have a blog", and so asked if we could post her thoughts right here and now. So here's the albums list, followed closely by song/singles...
top ten albums
10.5 ben folds - songs for silverman - wasn't originally going to be on this but i was going through the disc looking for a single for that top 10 when i realized... i actually really like the first half of this album. all downhill after "trusted."
TIE 10 fruit bats - "spelled in bones" - kind of a sleeper, to me anyway. sounds a lot like something i would've liked 7 years ago, but better. so what if "legs of bees" could appear on a shins record without anyone batting an eye?
10 death cab for cutie - "plans" - solid release, exactly what you want to hear from death cab. different enough from "transatlanticism" to sound like something new, but similar enough to feel like returning to flannel sheets after a long summer - cozy and you never want to wake up. bonus points for a song where Sarah's the muse.
9 bloc party - "silent alarm" - almost didn't make the list because i couldn't really remember it, but i brought it in to jam first thing at work, and it rocks. sets me up right for a day of battle.
8 rogue wave - "descended like vultures" - sub pop kicked a whole lot of ass this year. the 1-2-3 punch of "bird on a wire," "publish my love," and "salesman at the day parade" is like a valentine from the one person you never thought would notice you. euphoric.
7 shout out louds - "howl howl gaff gaff" - super pop album. totally underrated. a little grimy, a little cocky, a lot of pop beauty.
6 antony and the johnsons - "i am a bird now" - it took me many listens to "get it" but now that i have...indescribable. aching, heartbraking, soulful. sure don't sound like no white boy.
5 go team - "thunder lightning strike" - it may be cheating since we were all rocking this in '04, but since it's officially an '05 record in america, it makes the list.
4 andrew bird and "the mysterious production of eggs" - a marked improvement over weather systems, which i also loved, but it had its lulls (haha). eggs is full of twisted wordplay, layered melodies, and intriguing instrumentation... sounds like a recipe for an "interesting" record not a good one, but this is a case where interesting and intelligent translates to likeable and accessible.
3 kanye west - "late registration" - oh kanye, my kanye. everyone at NPR (OK, not everyone, but people in multiple departments) calls me when he's on the TV. how can you dress like a countryclubber and rock me so hard?
2 sufjan stevens - "illinois" - simply the best. ok, second best. 2/3 of these songs make my heart soar, the other 1/3 are better than 99% of all music ever. what can i say that hasn't been said?
1 crooked fingers - "dignity and shame" - just call me mrs. bachman. PLEASE call me mrs. bachman. take heed of my call to love. perfect perfect album, not a dud on it, and each song invites you in and makes you part of it. definitely the album most like living your own movie.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
I'll go first...Best of '05
Alright since no one was ready to step up I'll bat lead off. My shit is gonna look a little different than most of y'alls. I'm not really into psych-folk or folk-folk or psych-noise or noise-noise or art-psych-noise-folk, but whatever. Different strokes for different folks.
From the bottom.
10.Oneida - The Wedding
These dudes are one of my favorite live bands and bring it everytime out. It was cool hanging with them in Boston. Their new album was pretty arty, but still jammed out way hard. Probably should spend more time with this one. I got an ipod in August and haven't put it in there yet, but the music director at All the Hits Q100 was jamming on Anthem of the Moon when I was playing in at the office. Totally sweet.
9.LCD Soundsystem - s/t
OK so their major label debut was a double album featuring a best-of. WTF...Tight. "I've got 15 cases at my house"...dude when can we come over? Amazing live, and James Murphy is the only dude in recent memory to evoke Mark E. Smith without sounding too much like the Fall. Excellent record. Nominated for 2 Grammy's. Fuck to the Yeah
8.Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
Without a doubt THE BEST live band I've seen in the past couple of years and a band that continuously put out amazing albums that get better and better with every listen. No Grohl or Oliveri this time out, but were still able to craft great songs when everyone thought they were done. Josh Homme is an amazingly cool dude and these guys give commercial radio friendly major label rock a good fucking name, even if Crews hates them. Sit on it old man. This album is waaaay awesome. Oh and the drummer used to be in Danzig....YES!!!!
7.Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
So everyone and their mother has talked about this record way too much. It's great, even if they aren't so hot live. Not too much to say about this that hasn't already been said. I think it's awesome, hopefully the next album doesn't suck, wouldn't be suprised if it did though. That would be a shame if they couldn't follow this near masterpiece up. Angular dancable guitar rock is pretty tired, but these dudes do it better than just about everyone.
6.Young Jeezy - Thug Motivation 101:Let's Get It
So raps about selling cocaine might not be the most interesting thing in the world to you and you may think "Soul Survivor" sucks, but you're missing the point. Jeezy tells awesome stories about hustlin', stackin' flows and reppin' his hood. He invited the world into the hood of the A-Town and showed you what was really going down. Telling great stories and bringing an intensity and honesty to the game that transends a weak breakthrough single. There are so many great songs on this album that really need to be heard..."...And then What," "Go Crazy," "My Hood" and "Trap Star" among may others show that this guy has alot to bring to the table. Amazing debut. He and T.I. shut it down Thanksgiving Night. Best Turkey Day Ever!
5.Black Mountain -s/t
Uhhh these guys opened up for Coldplay and listen to Wu Tang alot. Sweet. They were also the only band that could take the best parts of High on Fire, the Stones and Neutral Milk Hotel and put out a record that doesn't sound derivative in the least bit. Fresh, fun and jammin'. Fuck Yeah Black Mountain rule. Somone needs to buy me the Pink Mountain Tops album for Christmas. I need more than 8 songs. I'm jonesin'.
4.V/A Run the Road comp.
The ultimate in UK grime rap. This highlights some of the best work from Dizzee Rascal, Kano, Wiley, Jammer. Lady Sovereign, The Streets and more. I don't think I've ever heard a comp before that highlights an entire mucal genre as well as this. I'm sure there are some obscure reigonal punk comps from back in the day that may, but punk comps suck and rap comps with this many awesome future stars of the rap game don't. The ultimate mix tape. Get this and get with it. "Just lend me he mic and let me get raw." Okay...here you go dude, keep spittin' mad fire.
3.Kanye West - Late Registration
Finally a hip hop record that has everything that you could ask for: intellect, artistry, club jams, chopped and screwed shit, appearances from the best of the best (the Game, Paul Wall, Jay-Z, Nas, etc.), and a big dick for your mouth. Kanye rocks dope sweaters, hates George Bush and hasn't listened to the new Paul Mccartney album yet, but is gonna get around to it before he declares himself the recipient of this years Album of the Year. I would say he is the Denzel of the rap game. Give the dude the trophy.
2.MIA - Arular
Some crazy Sri-Lankan lady put together one of the craziest records I've ever heard. This shit will move your ass, make you think, and cave your roof in. I really wish I had gone up to Athens to see her show, damn I must have been trippin' balls that day. What the fuck is an Arular anyway? Actually I don't care whatever it is, it's awesome and if you haven't heard this yet because it was all hyped out earlier this year, well you're trippin' too. Shit is bananas.
1.My Morning Jacket - Z
These guys and Queens are the two best american rock bands today. Great songs, great lyrics, great live show and really cool dudes to boot. I really have a hard time thinkning of great touring american bands these days. Dudes that play hundreds of shows a year, total road warrioirs and do it for the love of the game. These guys remind me alot of baseball for some reason. They play for 8 months out of the year, relax for a few months, spend spring training writing a new record and then back out on the road night after night. Mad respect for the Jacket. Great album even if Darkness doesn't agree. I love this band and you should too, they are amazing. The national anthem should be changed to "Off the Record" so they could play if before every baseball game. I'd take my hat off for that shit.
Alot of you guys will probably disagree with alot of these, but if you haven't heard some of these records, you should give them a spin, they're totally worth it. None of them are flawless, but each one is awesome for it's own reasons. I'll also go ahead and say there about a bagillion albums that I haven't heard, so some of these records could be bumped lower at a later date, but as of 12/20/05 at 11:25p.m. these are my favorite. Looks like I just took ball four, who's next, there's a runner on first.
Alright since no one was ready to step up I'll bat lead off. My shit is gonna look a little different than most of y'alls. I'm not really into psych-folk or folk-folk or psych-noise or noise-noise or art-psych-noise-folk, but whatever. Different strokes for different folks.
From the bottom.
10.Oneida - The Wedding
These dudes are one of my favorite live bands and bring it everytime out. It was cool hanging with them in Boston. Their new album was pretty arty, but still jammed out way hard. Probably should spend more time with this one. I got an ipod in August and haven't put it in there yet, but the music director at All the Hits Q100 was jamming on Anthem of the Moon when I was playing in at the office. Totally sweet.
9.LCD Soundsystem - s/t
OK so their major label debut was a double album featuring a best-of. WTF...Tight. "I've got 15 cases at my house"...dude when can we come over? Amazing live, and James Murphy is the only dude in recent memory to evoke Mark E. Smith without sounding too much like the Fall. Excellent record. Nominated for 2 Grammy's. Fuck to the Yeah
8.Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
Without a doubt THE BEST live band I've seen in the past couple of years and a band that continuously put out amazing albums that get better and better with every listen. No Grohl or Oliveri this time out, but were still able to craft great songs when everyone thought they were done. Josh Homme is an amazingly cool dude and these guys give commercial radio friendly major label rock a good fucking name, even if Crews hates them. Sit on it old man. This album is waaaay awesome. Oh and the drummer used to be in Danzig....YES!!!!
7.Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
So everyone and their mother has talked about this record way too much. It's great, even if they aren't so hot live. Not too much to say about this that hasn't already been said. I think it's awesome, hopefully the next album doesn't suck, wouldn't be suprised if it did though. That would be a shame if they couldn't follow this near masterpiece up. Angular dancable guitar rock is pretty tired, but these dudes do it better than just about everyone.
6.Young Jeezy - Thug Motivation 101:Let's Get It
So raps about selling cocaine might not be the most interesting thing in the world to you and you may think "Soul Survivor" sucks, but you're missing the point. Jeezy tells awesome stories about hustlin', stackin' flows and reppin' his hood. He invited the world into the hood of the A-Town and showed you what was really going down. Telling great stories and bringing an intensity and honesty to the game that transends a weak breakthrough single. There are so many great songs on this album that really need to be heard..."...And then What," "Go Crazy," "My Hood" and "Trap Star" among may others show that this guy has alot to bring to the table. Amazing debut. He and T.I. shut it down Thanksgiving Night. Best Turkey Day Ever!
5.Black Mountain -s/t
Uhhh these guys opened up for Coldplay and listen to Wu Tang alot. Sweet. They were also the only band that could take the best parts of High on Fire, the Stones and Neutral Milk Hotel and put out a record that doesn't sound derivative in the least bit. Fresh, fun and jammin'. Fuck Yeah Black Mountain rule. Somone needs to buy me the Pink Mountain Tops album for Christmas. I need more than 8 songs. I'm jonesin'.
4.V/A Run the Road comp.
The ultimate in UK grime rap. This highlights some of the best work from Dizzee Rascal, Kano, Wiley, Jammer. Lady Sovereign, The Streets and more. I don't think I've ever heard a comp before that highlights an entire mucal genre as well as this. I'm sure there are some obscure reigonal punk comps from back in the day that may, but punk comps suck and rap comps with this many awesome future stars of the rap game don't. The ultimate mix tape. Get this and get with it. "Just lend me he mic and let me get raw." Okay...here you go dude, keep spittin' mad fire.
3.Kanye West - Late Registration
Finally a hip hop record that has everything that you could ask for: intellect, artistry, club jams, chopped and screwed shit, appearances from the best of the best (the Game, Paul Wall, Jay-Z, Nas, etc.), and a big dick for your mouth. Kanye rocks dope sweaters, hates George Bush and hasn't listened to the new Paul Mccartney album yet, but is gonna get around to it before he declares himself the recipient of this years Album of the Year. I would say he is the Denzel of the rap game. Give the dude the trophy.
2.MIA - Arular
Some crazy Sri-Lankan lady put together one of the craziest records I've ever heard. This shit will move your ass, make you think, and cave your roof in. I really wish I had gone up to Athens to see her show, damn I must have been trippin' balls that day. What the fuck is an Arular anyway? Actually I don't care whatever it is, it's awesome and if you haven't heard this yet because it was all hyped out earlier this year, well you're trippin' too. Shit is bananas.
1.My Morning Jacket - Z
These guys and Queens are the two best american rock bands today. Great songs, great lyrics, great live show and really cool dudes to boot. I really have a hard time thinkning of great touring american bands these days. Dudes that play hundreds of shows a year, total road warrioirs and do it for the love of the game. These guys remind me alot of baseball for some reason. They play for 8 months out of the year, relax for a few months, spend spring training writing a new record and then back out on the road night after night. Mad respect for the Jacket. Great album even if Darkness doesn't agree. I love this band and you should too, they are amazing. The national anthem should be changed to "Off the Record" so they could play if before every baseball game. I'd take my hat off for that shit.
Alot of you guys will probably disagree with alot of these, but if you haven't heard some of these records, you should give them a spin, they're totally worth it. None of them are flawless, but each one is awesome for it's own reasons. I'll also go ahead and say there about a bagillion albums that I haven't heard, so some of these records could be bumped lower at a later date, but as of 12/20/05 at 11:25p.m. these are my favorite. Looks like I just took ball four, who's next, there's a runner on first.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Lawyer Party
So on Friday night I had the pleasure of attending my friends' Holiday Party Extravaganza. They work at a law firm even bigger than mine, which means even more money is thrown at the Big Time Holiday Party. My firm's party was a black tie affair at the Four Seasons; the MoFos (Morgan Foerster)rented out fucking SBC park. The party area was the entire club level, complete with buffets and open bars and a stage with a band known as the MoFonics, and some dude with a video camera capturing it all and projecting it live on the stadium scoreboard.
What you guys will want to hear about is the two tours I took. One took me through the annals of the park, out onto the infield, into the dugout, into the visitors' clubhouse, and into the press booth. I picked up the bullpen phone and it starting ringing. The tour guide told me to put the phone down. I went into the shower room and turned on the shower. The tour guide told me to get out of there. We ditched the press booth lecture because we were late for BATTING PRACTICE.
Yes. Batting practice in the batting tunnel. The machine was set to 60 mph and I hit the shit out of it. I was probably the best hitter, but these people were fucking drunk as hell.
Anyway, a good night.
So on Friday night I had the pleasure of attending my friends' Holiday Party Extravaganza. They work at a law firm even bigger than mine, which means even more money is thrown at the Big Time Holiday Party. My firm's party was a black tie affair at the Four Seasons; the MoFos (Morgan Foerster)rented out fucking SBC park. The party area was the entire club level, complete with buffets and open bars and a stage with a band known as the MoFonics, and some dude with a video camera capturing it all and projecting it live on the stadium scoreboard.
What you guys will want to hear about is the two tours I took. One took me through the annals of the park, out onto the infield, into the dugout, into the visitors' clubhouse, and into the press booth. I picked up the bullpen phone and it starting ringing. The tour guide told me to put the phone down. I went into the shower room and turned on the shower. The tour guide told me to get out of there. We ditched the press booth lecture because we were late for BATTING PRACTICE.
Yes. Batting practice in the batting tunnel. The machine was set to 60 mph and I hit the shit out of it. I was probably the best hitter, but these people were fucking drunk as hell.
Anyway, a good night.
the chronic - WHAT? - cles of narnia
Saturday Night Live was surprisingly not awful this weekend. Much of it was horrible - the Sbarro's skit, Jack Black's Kong song, the ever-shitty Appallachian Emergency Room - but there were at least five quality bits, including two that were downright excellent. The Narnia rap short was the best thing I've seen on there since Bear City, and Will Forte's spelling bee skit was almost as good. The Two A-Holes Buying a Christmas Tree was funny and not at all annoying. Smigel's cartoon looked awesome, and although it didn't really provoke any laughter, it was totally inoffensive and maybe got me to crack a slight smile or two. Tracy Morgan's cameo was kind of half-assed, but I pretty much laugh at anything that guy does. Kenan similarly entertains me even when he sucks, so seeing them together was fine with me. The first Neil Young song was really good, too. Other than that, the show sucked, but since I just described like half of what they did, that means it wasn't too bad a program, overall. Easily the best of this season. I was, of course, drunk as hell, so perhaps my judgment wasn't up to snuff. Still, I'm positive that Narnia rap would still be excellent in the sober light of this frigid Monday morning.
Saturday Night Live was surprisingly not awful this weekend. Much of it was horrible - the Sbarro's skit, Jack Black's Kong song, the ever-shitty Appallachian Emergency Room - but there were at least five quality bits, including two that were downright excellent. The Narnia rap short was the best thing I've seen on there since Bear City, and Will Forte's spelling bee skit was almost as good. The Two A-Holes Buying a Christmas Tree was funny and not at all annoying. Smigel's cartoon looked awesome, and although it didn't really provoke any laughter, it was totally inoffensive and maybe got me to crack a slight smile or two. Tracy Morgan's cameo was kind of half-assed, but I pretty much laugh at anything that guy does. Kenan similarly entertains me even when he sucks, so seeing them together was fine with me. The first Neil Young song was really good, too. Other than that, the show sucked, but since I just described like half of what they did, that means it wasn't too bad a program, overall. Easily the best of this season. I was, of course, drunk as hell, so perhaps my judgment wasn't up to snuff. Still, I'm positive that Narnia rap would still be excellent in the sober light of this frigid Monday morning.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Still Flyin' makes Pitchfork's best of...kinda
In their best of '05 pt. 5 section (dude I don't know how to post links, so deal) all the way at the bottom, the last list of artist faves...peep this:
Cameron Bird, Architecture in Helsinki
1. Animal Collective: Feels (Fat Cat)
2. Still Flyin': Still Flyin' (self-released)
3. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
4. Vive Le Rouge: Cent Tas D'Aretes (Vives Eaux)
5. Dr Dog: Easy Beat (Rough Trade)
Not too shabby
In their best of '05 pt. 5 section (dude I don't know how to post links, so deal) all the way at the bottom, the last list of artist faves...peep this:
Cameron Bird, Architecture in Helsinki
1. Animal Collective: Feels (Fat Cat)
2. Still Flyin': Still Flyin' (self-released)
3. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
4. Vive Le Rouge: Cent Tas D'Aretes (Vives Eaux)
5. Dr Dog: Easy Beat (Rough Trade)
Not too shabby
Friday, December 16, 2005
Friday Inspiration
OK. Go here watch the Europa video and tap into rock and roll's most psychedelic mind. It's the third one from the top.
www.santana.com/musicianscorner/lessons/carlos/index.html
OK. Go here watch the Europa video and tap into rock and roll's most psychedelic mind. It's the third one from the top.
www.santana.com/musicianscorner/lessons/carlos/index.html
more radio
Our man Brian Crews is currently hosting a show on WXDU. They've got that shit streaming. Mr. Crews will be up there 'til four, est.
Our man Brian Crews is currently hosting a show on WXDU. They've got that shit streaming. Mr. Crews will be up there 'til four, est.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
holy shit, we's radiatin'
Folks,
the radio show is on right now. Listen through this internet at WZBC's site, or tune your receivers to 90.3 FM if you're in the Boston area. Which is highly doubtful.
Folks,
the radio show is on right now. Listen through this internet at WZBC's site, or tune your receivers to 90.3 FM if you're in the Boston area. Which is highly doubtful.
somebody brought their camera to work today
These are the last two, I swear. They're also maybe the most interesting.
Here's a Masonic eye painted on the roof of meeting room in the Salem Towne House at Old Sturbridge Village. I'm sure this will find its way onto a France release at some point.
And here's a somewhat legible photo of the informative display in said meeting room.
These are the last two, I swear. They're also maybe the most interesting.
Here's a Masonic eye painted on the roof of meeting room in the Salem Towne House at Old Sturbridge Village. I'm sure this will find its way onto a France release at some point.
And here's a somewhat legible photo of the informative display in said meeting room.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
new poll question, concerning a hat
My Atlanta Hawks ski cap arrived in the mail yesterday, all the way from Great Britain. The seller swears it's the Queen's tifter itself. It's a snappy little reversible number by Nike, and I'm confounded as to what would be the optimal way to wear it. One one side it's a red hat with ATL in gold letters and a black swoosh on the back. Flip it over and you've got a black hat with ATLANTA in red and gold, a swoosh, and an NBA logo. Quite nice no matter how you wear it.
Still, I feel like a poll is in order. My wife suggested that the red side was better; I tend to agree, if only because the NBA logo on the reverse gives me pause. I figured I asked my friends here, though, what their thoughts on the matter were. Tonight I'll add photos, for those who are interested.
UPDATE: Here are the pics.
vs. 
I've worn it red the last two mornings.
My Atlanta Hawks ski cap arrived in the mail yesterday, all the way from Great Britain. The seller swears it's the Queen's tifter itself. It's a snappy little reversible number by Nike, and I'm confounded as to what would be the optimal way to wear it. One one side it's a red hat with ATL in gold letters and a black swoosh on the back. Flip it over and you've got a black hat with ATLANTA in red and gold, a swoosh, and an NBA logo. Quite nice no matter how you wear it.
Still, I feel like a poll is in order. My wife suggested that the red side was better; I tend to agree, if only because the NBA logo on the reverse gives me pause. I figured I asked my friends here, though, what their thoughts on the matter were. Tonight I'll add photos, for those who are interested.
UPDATE: Here are the pics.
vs. I've worn it red the last two mornings.
four shot dead in Boston rap studio
Don't worry, everybody, I'm perfectly okay.
Well, my rosacea's acting up pretty bad, and my stomach was upset about an hour ago, but other than that, I'm doing fine. No bullets in THIS dude!
Don't worry, everybody, I'm perfectly okay.
Well, my rosacea's acting up pretty bad, and my stomach was upset about an hour ago, but other than that, I'm doing fine. No bullets in THIS dude!
Monday, December 12, 2005
an epic quest for the ultimate meal
A couple weeks ago the missus got lost on the way back from the airport, and made a most amazing discovery. Somewhere out on 99, maybe in Everett, perhaps Malden, sits a Kentucky Fried Chicken that is more than it seems. Your standard KFC in the Boston area is a two-headed monster of conflicting fast-food tastes. A Taco Bell is guaranteed to be attached parasitically to the Colonel's gullet, siphoning off the positivity and good will KFC has cultivated over the last several decades. In one or two locations you'll find a Pizza Hut instead of a Taco Bell. Only in Allston can you find a free-standing KFC completely lacking a faux-Mexican/Italian taint. Outside this one exception, to the furthest extent of human knowledge and experience, every KFC in the Boston area has a roommate.
So this day two weeks ago, after dropping a colleague from Georgia off at Logan, my wife made a wrong turn at a rotary, and wound up encountering a truly miraculous vision. The familiar red-and-white sign, the Colonel beaming like a by-stander in an early 20th century lynching photograph, caught her eye first, but did little to prepare her for the amazement which closely followed. Beneath that familiar sign, lower down the pylon, just above the marquee unladen with text, sat a sign with an unfamiliar design, but featuring words in festive yellow and aquamarine that called forth blissful memories of the finest in fast-food dining. Beneath that KFC sign the words "Long John Silver's" cut brightly through the murk like a shining beacon of hope and culinary freedom.
Fleetingly a fantastic future suffused with chicken planks and hushpuppies floated before her. Memories of malt vinegar and captain's bells, Norman Bigfish and muppet shrimp churned in her head as she rushed home as precipitiously as providence did permit. In her haste, though, she neglected to commit her route home to memory. She arrived at our modest abode with wonderful news, but without the information necessary to turn this news into an even more wonderful future. She even came to doubt whether she actually saw what she was certain she did. Perhaps in her desperation to reorient herself and find a proper path home her mind was playing tricks on her. Could this startling revelation of the most felicitous ilk truly exist in our tangible world, or must it have been merely a cruel trick of an overtaxed mind?
Yesterday we planned to make this determination, and, if said mirage did reside physically upon this orb, sup upon its bounty of fried victuals. Shortly before lunch-time I ensconced myself in front of our new-fangled difference engine and directed our robotic courier toward the friendly fishmonger's digital notice board. A helpful program there aids the prospective diner in locating nearby storefronts; the customer provides his address, and in return is shown a map with local establishments indicated in red. All seemed in order, until we realized that our fair Commonwealth was not even listed in their directory of states. Their virtual placard thusly useless, I put aside my disdain for the base and vulgar and deigned to call them directly. A boorish lady of East Indian extract, comportment entirely with out gentility, crudely informed me that the restaurant in question was located in Malden. Armed with this additional information, a quick return to the computational device yielded the proper address, and soon we were off on our horseless.
In route, that damnable rotary confused us yet again, and repeatedly, spiralling us off in the wrong direction five times in a row. We drove through the heart of Everett, straight into Malden, but turned around when the street numbers seemed headed in the wrong direction. We made a round-about in the parking lot of the Target Greatland, next to the PetsMart where we adopted our adorable kitten HammJamm. Somehow we found ourselves in Charlestown, with an immaculate view of the Zakim Bridge previously unseen by us. We headed yet again through Everett and Malden, this time down a different street, and once again in the wrong direction. Finally we deduced that perhaps we had not driven far enough into Malden the first time, and thus repeated our initial path. Sure enough, this took us to the fabled hideaway, after only three and a half hours of intrepid searching.
Chicken planks remain the irresistable balm of the soul I remembered from my youth. The hushpuppies and crunchies were as delectable as ever. The service left much to be desired, however, and the restaurant itself was disgustingly filthy. An obviously destitute family of eight blithely tossed their trash all about the floor, scattering half-eaten corncobs and stray bits of chicken meat upon the dull brown tiles. The women's restroom was out of order, and the men's smelled like the inner workings of Satan's digestive system. Still, those incredible chicken planks, with moist white meat suffocated, like my heart, in golden-brown batter and crunchy breading, made the entire ordeal more than worth it. The wasted hours driving around the seemier sides of Boston, the unbearable repulsion of our mealtime surroundings, and the eventual extreme stomach discomfort (entirely expected and anticipated) were reduced to inconsequence by my blistering, unrelenting passion for Long John Silver's. I look forward to that time when, months from now, I have recovered enough to sally forth yet again and renew the quest for the eternal treat. Lady Fortuna did smile upon us this weekend, as we hope it did for all our friends and loved ones.
A couple weeks ago the missus got lost on the way back from the airport, and made a most amazing discovery. Somewhere out on 99, maybe in Everett, perhaps Malden, sits a Kentucky Fried Chicken that is more than it seems. Your standard KFC in the Boston area is a two-headed monster of conflicting fast-food tastes. A Taco Bell is guaranteed to be attached parasitically to the Colonel's gullet, siphoning off the positivity and good will KFC has cultivated over the last several decades. In one or two locations you'll find a Pizza Hut instead of a Taco Bell. Only in Allston can you find a free-standing KFC completely lacking a faux-Mexican/Italian taint. Outside this one exception, to the furthest extent of human knowledge and experience, every KFC in the Boston area has a roommate.
So this day two weeks ago, after dropping a colleague from Georgia off at Logan, my wife made a wrong turn at a rotary, and wound up encountering a truly miraculous vision. The familiar red-and-white sign, the Colonel beaming like a by-stander in an early 20th century lynching photograph, caught her eye first, but did little to prepare her for the amazement which closely followed. Beneath that familiar sign, lower down the pylon, just above the marquee unladen with text, sat a sign with an unfamiliar design, but featuring words in festive yellow and aquamarine that called forth blissful memories of the finest in fast-food dining. Beneath that KFC sign the words "Long John Silver's" cut brightly through the murk like a shining beacon of hope and culinary freedom.
Fleetingly a fantastic future suffused with chicken planks and hushpuppies floated before her. Memories of malt vinegar and captain's bells, Norman Bigfish and muppet shrimp churned in her head as she rushed home as precipitiously as providence did permit. In her haste, though, she neglected to commit her route home to memory. She arrived at our modest abode with wonderful news, but without the information necessary to turn this news into an even more wonderful future. She even came to doubt whether she actually saw what she was certain she did. Perhaps in her desperation to reorient herself and find a proper path home her mind was playing tricks on her. Could this startling revelation of the most felicitous ilk truly exist in our tangible world, or must it have been merely a cruel trick of an overtaxed mind?
Yesterday we planned to make this determination, and, if said mirage did reside physically upon this orb, sup upon its bounty of fried victuals. Shortly before lunch-time I ensconced myself in front of our new-fangled difference engine and directed our robotic courier toward the friendly fishmonger's digital notice board. A helpful program there aids the prospective diner in locating nearby storefronts; the customer provides his address, and in return is shown a map with local establishments indicated in red. All seemed in order, until we realized that our fair Commonwealth was not even listed in their directory of states. Their virtual placard thusly useless, I put aside my disdain for the base and vulgar and deigned to call them directly. A boorish lady of East Indian extract, comportment entirely with out gentility, crudely informed me that the restaurant in question was located in Malden. Armed with this additional information, a quick return to the computational device yielded the proper address, and soon we were off on our horseless.
In route, that damnable rotary confused us yet again, and repeatedly, spiralling us off in the wrong direction five times in a row. We drove through the heart of Everett, straight into Malden, but turned around when the street numbers seemed headed in the wrong direction. We made a round-about in the parking lot of the Target Greatland, next to the PetsMart where we adopted our adorable kitten HammJamm. Somehow we found ourselves in Charlestown, with an immaculate view of the Zakim Bridge previously unseen by us. We headed yet again through Everett and Malden, this time down a different street, and once again in the wrong direction. Finally we deduced that perhaps we had not driven far enough into Malden the first time, and thus repeated our initial path. Sure enough, this took us to the fabled hideaway, after only three and a half hours of intrepid searching.
Chicken planks remain the irresistable balm of the soul I remembered from my youth. The hushpuppies and crunchies were as delectable as ever. The service left much to be desired, however, and the restaurant itself was disgustingly filthy. An obviously destitute family of eight blithely tossed their trash all about the floor, scattering half-eaten corncobs and stray bits of chicken meat upon the dull brown tiles. The women's restroom was out of order, and the men's smelled like the inner workings of Satan's digestive system. Still, those incredible chicken planks, with moist white meat suffocated, like my heart, in golden-brown batter and crunchy breading, made the entire ordeal more than worth it. The wasted hours driving around the seemier sides of Boston, the unbearable repulsion of our mealtime surroundings, and the eventual extreme stomach discomfort (entirely expected and anticipated) were reduced to inconsequence by my blistering, unrelenting passion for Long John Silver's. I look forward to that time when, months from now, I have recovered enough to sally forth yet again and renew the quest for the eternal treat. Lady Fortuna did smile upon us this weekend, as we hope it did for all our friends and loved ones.
Friday, December 09, 2005
ten or eleven albums I have enjoyed this year, one of which might be from 2004
Hastily assembled while inspecting the first stall in the fourth floor's men's room. A more thorough and in-depth account shall be submitted near the end of the year.
Excepter, Throne
Animal Collective, Feels
Oneida, The Wedding
Gang Gang Dance, God's Money
Deerhoof, The Runners Four
Steven Malkmus, Face the Truth
Blood on the Wall, Awesomer
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
Need New Body, Where's Black Ben
Major Stars, All or Half the Time
Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood, Animal Speak
Bloc Party, Silent Alarm
Hastily assembled while inspecting the first stall in the fourth floor's men's room. A more thorough and in-depth account shall be submitted near the end of the year.
Excepter, Throne
Animal Collective, Feels
Oneida, The Wedding
Gang Gang Dance, God's Money
Deerhoof, The Runners Four
Steven Malkmus, Face the Truth
Blood on the Wall, Awesomer
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
Need New Body, Where's Black Ben
Major Stars, All or Half the Time
Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood, Animal Speak
Bloc Party, Silent Alarm
ten singles I liked this year, including two I also liked the year before.
Give me three minutes, I'll give you a list. The generation was not quite spontaneous, but random and thoughtless enough. Also, the precedent has been set. "Since U Been Gone" and "Mr. Brightside" are fair game for '05 year-end lists, despite their utter 2004-ness. I shall play this game if I must. In fact, I might actually sit down and take some time and decide on a real, genuine, official best-of deal. If you are so lucky, that'll happen nearer to New Year's. Anyway, here's a colon:
"Since U Been Gone"
"Mr. Brightside"
"Sex in the Kitchen" remix
"Pimpin' All Over the World"
"Gold Digger"
"So Here We Are"
"Flossin"
"Georgia"
"Hung Up"
"Grass"
I don't listen to the radio much. I only hear songs if Hillary emails them to me, or if I find them on somebody's weblog. If this list seems overly influenced by any other such list found anywhere upon the ever-lovin' internet, I do apologize.
Give me three minutes, I'll give you a list. The generation was not quite spontaneous, but random and thoughtless enough. Also, the precedent has been set. "Since U Been Gone" and "Mr. Brightside" are fair game for '05 year-end lists, despite their utter 2004-ness. I shall play this game if I must. In fact, I might actually sit down and take some time and decide on a real, genuine, official best-of deal. If you are so lucky, that'll happen nearer to New Year's. Anyway, here's a colon:
"Since U Been Gone"
"Mr. Brightside"
"Sex in the Kitchen" remix
"Pimpin' All Over the World"
"Gold Digger"
"So Here We Are"
"Flossin"
"Georgia"
"Hung Up"
"Grass"
I don't listen to the radio much. I only hear songs if Hillary emails them to me, or if I find them on somebody's weblog. If this list seems overly influenced by any other such list found anywhere upon the ever-lovin' internet, I do apologize.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
no radio program today
I'll be at work all day, so no Mez Eclipse on the radio. Picking up some OT to help out with all that holiday business.
I'll be at work all day, so no Mez Eclipse on the radio. Picking up some OT to help out with all that holiday business.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
first action at the trading post
So Johnny Estrada goes to Arizona for these two goofs. You'd think we could have gotten more, but I'm not too upset with this. Hopefully Villarreal can return to being at least half-way decent.
So Johnny Estrada goes to Arizona for these two goofs. You'd think we could have gotten more, but I'm not too upset with this. Hopefully Villarreal can return to being at least half-way decent.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
come sift through my ignorance
Okay, I talk a lot about baseball around here, and by now it should be apparent to anybody paying attention that I don't know a god-damn thing about the game. But I've read a few books, bought enough nine dollar fantasy mags, and check about ten websites every single hour, so of course in my own mind I'm a fuckin' genius. I'm like if Earl Weaver and Bill James had a kid, named it Sparky, and then let the ghost of John McGraw molest it for a few years. That's me, god-dammit, the sexually abused progeny of great baseball minds past and present. Actually I'm a titan in the field of ranting voluminously about that which I know next to nothing. So please, when you hand me my ass in the comments, be soft and gentle; Little Napoleon doesn't like to see me bruised.
Anyhow, to what meager point I may have: I know Jesse Crain has good stuff, and has been a top relief prospect for a few years now, but could somebody (I'm looking at you, Bounds) please explain why Atlanta would maybe give up Marte for a dude who had a 25/29 K/BB ratio in almost 80 innings last season? Yeah, the guy's got potential, but shouldn't they be more certain of what they're getting if they're going to ship off a top prospect like Marte?
Also, I almost hope they do trade McCann for Lugo, if only to see how many heads explode on the Braves Vent over at the AJC.
Okay, I talk a lot about baseball around here, and by now it should be apparent to anybody paying attention that I don't know a god-damn thing about the game. But I've read a few books, bought enough nine dollar fantasy mags, and check about ten websites every single hour, so of course in my own mind I'm a fuckin' genius. I'm like if Earl Weaver and Bill James had a kid, named it Sparky, and then let the ghost of John McGraw molest it for a few years. That's me, god-dammit, the sexually abused progeny of great baseball minds past and present. Actually I'm a titan in the field of ranting voluminously about that which I know next to nothing. So please, when you hand me my ass in the comments, be soft and gentle; Little Napoleon doesn't like to see me bruised.
Anyhow, to what meager point I may have: I know Jesse Crain has good stuff, and has been a top relief prospect for a few years now, but could somebody (I'm looking at you, Bounds) please explain why Atlanta would maybe give up Marte for a dude who had a 25/29 K/BB ratio in almost 80 innings last season? Yeah, the guy's got potential, but shouldn't they be more certain of what they're getting if they're going to ship off a top prospect like Marte?
Also, I almost hope they do trade McCann for Lugo, if only to see how many heads explode on the Braves Vent over at the AJC.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Las Vegas Assistance Needed
So me and Rusty James are heading into the desert to meet up with our parents this weekend. Anyone out there have any entertainment suggestions or advice? Last time I was in Vegas I just walked around the strip and looked at different casinos.
So me and Rusty James are heading into the desert to meet up with our parents this weekend. Anyone out there have any entertainment suggestions or advice? Last time I was in Vegas I just walked around the strip and looked at different casinos.
so is number ten a trick question?
Here's a Braves-centric poll over on ESPN's site. Either the quizmaster is an idiot, or else they're testing the attention span of your average web-browsing Braves fan. Maybe Hampton will be a reliable number three in 2007, but I doubt that'll happen in 2006, since, you know, he's missing the whole damn season.
Here's a Braves-centric poll over on ESPN's site. Either the quizmaster is an idiot, or else they're testing the attention span of your average web-browsing Braves fan. Maybe Hampton will be a reliable number three in 2007, but I doubt that'll happen in 2006, since, you know, he's missing the whole damn season.
our most recent playlist
Polvo “Fractured (Like Chandeliers)”
Lou Reed “America”
Warhammer 48K “track 6” from s/t album
Shadow Ring “I Am a Lighthouse”
Trumans Water “Spectro Helioscope”
Belle and Sebastian “Another Sunny Day”
One Inch of Shadow “You'll Miss Me at the End”
Guided by Voices “My Valuable Hunting Knife (Shernoff Version)”
Sone “High Frame Audio”
Taiwan Deth “I Stay Over By There”
Suicide “Cheree”
Squeeze “Up the Junction”
Spoils of War “Lightning Snakes”
Parts & Labor “Don't Just Fucking STand There”
Popul Vuh “King Minos”
Royal Trux “The Spectre”
Comet Gain “Daydream Scars”
Boris “track 8” from Pink
Circle “Ydinaukio”
Wooden Wand Hassara “I Know You My Friend”
John Cale “Andalucia”
Feathers “Old Black Hal With A Dandelion Flower”
Bablicon “Arcdurvish”
Majik “Onan Rides the Whale”
Akron/Family & Angels of Light “Dylan Pt. 2”
Bloodyminded “Aller/Venir”
Polvo “Fractured (Like Chandeliers)”
Lou Reed “America”
Warhammer 48K “track 6” from s/t album
Shadow Ring “I Am a Lighthouse”
Trumans Water “Spectro Helioscope”
Belle and Sebastian “Another Sunny Day”
One Inch of Shadow “You'll Miss Me at the End”
Guided by Voices “My Valuable Hunting Knife (Shernoff Version)”
Sone “High Frame Audio”
Taiwan Deth “I Stay Over By There”
Suicide “Cheree”
Squeeze “Up the Junction”
Spoils of War “Lightning Snakes”
Parts & Labor “Don't Just Fucking STand There”
Popul Vuh “King Minos”
Royal Trux “The Spectre”
Comet Gain “Daydream Scars”
Boris “track 8” from Pink
Circle “Ydinaukio”
Wooden Wand Hassara “I Know You My Friend”
John Cale “Andalucia”
Feathers “Old Black Hal With A Dandelion Flower”
Bablicon “Arcdurvish”
Majik “Onan Rides the Whale”
Akron/Family & Angels of Light “Dylan Pt. 2”
Bloodyminded “Aller/Venir”
cue the DUI jokes
As ridiculous as that Furcal conract is, Frank McCourt still has a way to go to match Fred Wilpon and the Mets in their little money-pissing marathon. This contract is more mind-bogglingly insane than any of the Mets' moves this off-season, though, so the Dodgers seem intent on closing that distance. At least McCourt isn't dismantling an already thin minor league system in the process.
Still, any Braves fan and/or Mets hater should be ever sos slightly concerned about the team they're building up in New York. I'm sure these moves will bite them in the ass in the long-run, but they could still give us trouble in 2006 and '07. But they're the Mets, of course, and will most assuredly find a way to fuck everything up. Hell, give 'em Zito, Vazquez, and Kent, and I'd still like Atlanta's odds.
Anyway, when it comes to the Braves, I'm fine with Todd Jones or Bob Wickman on one-year deals; understanding of, but unexcited about, a Julio Lugo deal, as long as Marte, McCann, and Saltamacchia aren't involved; cautiously interested in a Juan Pierre trade, but again, only contingent upon the minor leaguers we give up; enthusiastic, but realistic, about any potential Adam Dunn acquisition; wary of Barry Zito; not opposed to Nomar coming in on reasonable terms; afraid of giving Hoffman eight or nine million bucks for anything more than one season; unoffended by the thought of poet-philosopher Miguel Batista closing for us. Just imagine there's an "I'm" before all those clauses, please.
As ridiculous as that Furcal conract is, Frank McCourt still has a way to go to match Fred Wilpon and the Mets in their little money-pissing marathon. This contract is more mind-bogglingly insane than any of the Mets' moves this off-season, though, so the Dodgers seem intent on closing that distance. At least McCourt isn't dismantling an already thin minor league system in the process.
Still, any Braves fan and/or Mets hater should be ever sos slightly concerned about the team they're building up in New York. I'm sure these moves will bite them in the ass in the long-run, but they could still give us trouble in 2006 and '07. But they're the Mets, of course, and will most assuredly find a way to fuck everything up. Hell, give 'em Zito, Vazquez, and Kent, and I'd still like Atlanta's odds.
Anyway, when it comes to the Braves, I'm fine with Todd Jones or Bob Wickman on one-year deals; understanding of, but unexcited about, a Julio Lugo deal, as long as Marte, McCann, and Saltamacchia aren't involved; cautiously interested in a Juan Pierre trade, but again, only contingent upon the minor leaguers we give up; enthusiastic, but realistic, about any potential Adam Dunn acquisition; wary of Barry Zito; not opposed to Nomar coming in on reasonable terms; afraid of giving Hoffman eight or nine million bucks for anything more than one season; unoffended by the thought of poet-philosopher Miguel Batista closing for us. Just imagine there's an "I'm" before all those clauses, please.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
headgear help
I think it'd be awesome to walk upon the frozen tundra of Boston, Mass., in an Atlanta Hawks wool ski cap, preferrably with their old '80's logo. I've checked eBay and other websites and have thus far come up with nothing. I don't even know if they make anything like this, but if anybody down there ever notices such a thing, please let me know. I'll be willing to pay a small finder's fee in addition to the cost of the hat, and shipping and handling.
If you ever find one, call my cell as soon as possible: (770)241-9011.
I think it'd be awesome to walk upon the frozen tundra of Boston, Mass., in an Atlanta Hawks wool ski cap, preferrably with their old '80's logo. I've checked eBay and other websites and have thus far come up with nothing. I don't even know if they make anything like this, but if anybody down there ever notices such a thing, please let me know. I'll be willing to pay a small finder's fee in addition to the cost of the hat, and shipping and handling.
If you ever find one, call my cell as soon as possible: (770)241-9011.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
and in this radio our two bloods mingled be.
Listen to Mesmerization Eclipse on WZBC 90.3 FM, today from 3 to 5 pm.
Listen to Mesmerization Eclipse on WZBC 90.3 FM, today from 3 to 5 pm.
