Fuck It

I give up on the giant list. Do not get me wrong: I am having a lot of fun talking about albums that are close to my heart. I feel like I am ignoring other things that are pertinent to talk about because I am forcing myself to just type about one thing. It is mildly ironic.

My dad and I just finished the Marco Polo series available on Netflix. I have not done enough reading to state whether or not it is historically accurate, but it is rather enjoyable, none the less. I have heard it compared to Game of Thrones, but I disagree. I mean, there is AT LEAST half as many boobs.

I have also been playing Persona 4 in celebration for the fifth one coming out this year maybe. I have probably talked about it, so I will keep this brief. Basically, you are the new kid in a region. You make friend with the misfits on pretty much your first day. You eventually get sucked into an alternate dimension where you can control beings that fight with a great strength. I am not doing this game justice. It is amazing. Just play it. I would normally suggest it for certain people, but I really do think everyone should just try it for an hour. You will either love it, or you will not.

Yeah. I can either be found playing that, or Tetris. Seriously: I can stop playing. I am playing it on the PlayStation 3. The version is the one released 2010 on PSN. If you know what I mean, GREAT! If you do not know what I mean; GREAT!

Anyway, I started the other blog describing where I was for the last two years. I have started taking questions. If you ask me in person, I will only give a half answer. I need a bit to dwell on what I want to say, and I am too angry to say full truths in person.

Honorable Mentions (PART TWO)

I really wanted to avoid doing another one of these, but I feel as if my loyalties are better served this way from time to time. We just got through the Christmas season. I am sure there at a couple of people looking to use a gift card up. So, this list will contain things that are not too hard to find but HOLY FUCK you should own them.

Beastie Boys -- Ill Communication
This is a great example of a punk band turning their attention towards something else. Beastie Boys started as a hardcore punk band but decided to do hip hop instead. Releasing the first album in 1986 and continuing on until 2011 (when Adam Yauch died of cancer). This album has everything from straight-up rap tracks to almost-punk like parts and pieces. It also takes credit as being the first hip hop albums I review ever. This album also sits very high on my "you should really own and love" list. Yes, everything I am currently writing about is on that list, but this is very VERY high on that list, even though I'm not saying much about it.


Blink-182 -- Enema Of The State
This is one of the earliest album I have ever listened to of my own accord. This album inspired me to consider being in a band, and showed me that you can write songs just to write songs. Here's to you, Blink 182. (as much as I did not mean to rhyme, that was awesome)



Every Time I Die -- Hot Damn!
Well fuck; this album is very deserving to be on this list. It is also deserving of the intro "well fuck."



The Hives -- Tyrannosaurus Hives
This band has, I feel, been overlooked by people for FAR too long. This album is intelligent and methodical. It is also intelligent and biting. There is nothing more fun.


Hot Hot Heat -- Future Breeds
Who would have thought that the band that brought you the song "Bandages" would also bring one of the catchiest, and quite frankly, the best albums of all time? It has been four years and I HAVE LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM AT LEAST ONCE A WAKING DAY. Seriously: So good.

throw grenades instead of baby showers..



Incubus -- Make Yourself
In the list of "First ten albums I bought for myself." This album is both one of the most beautiful and brutal things I have ever heard. The guitar. The vocals. The Bass. The drums. The DJ. This album really is the best of every world ever. I have yet to find better in most regards, without being metal or showcasing someone.



A Life Once Lost -- Hunter
Probably the most cliche metal bands that I am into. They were also one of worst shows I have ever seen. This doesn't mean I don't love this album any less. I would recommend this album to any hardcore fan or metal head.



Mars Volta -- Deloused In The Comatorium
This is an album that proved, to me, that you can do what you want, when you want. I am still blown away by two facts: that this album contains both Televators and Intertiatic E.S.P., and that this band was spawn from At The Drive In. Seriously. Good Show. Good fucking Show.



Modest Mouse -- Good News For People Who Love Bad News
Easily one of the most depressing bands that have ever existed. It really seems like everything they speak of is how everything is wrong and how nothing will ever fix it. You are meaningless. Your life is meaningless. BUT HERE IS A SONG TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER ABOUT BEING USELESS. This was the last album they did before the beautiful Johnny Marr (of The Smiths) joined for an album and an EP. I really do think it is a good album by this band to start with. The overall subject matter is less nihilistic. compared to everything else they have done, anyway. At least the music of the songs is happy. It is kind of sick, in a way. Depress you with lyrics to a song that catches you with a happy, quirky line. Then, BAM! Depressing lyrics everywhere.



Panic! At The Disco -- A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
I hate that I love this band so. Even more because THIS has to be one of the best albums ever written. All the circusy goodness one could ever want. I have heard that the live show surrounding this album was amazing, as well.

Maximo Park

Hello hello hello and blah blah blah blah blah...

HI THERE! Enough of being strange: on with the review!
This post, I want to talk about an album I have literally listened to too often for a few of my friends and my entire family.
Maximo Park || A Certain Trigger
It is a pop/rock album. I was trying to figure out some other description for it, but that is what it is. It is pop the same way The Arctic Monkey's are pop: inappropriately. The story goes as follows: There was a band. They were looking for a singer. As they were giving up, a mutual friend of theirs got fucking LOADED and started singing Bohemian Rhapsody at the bar they frequented. Later that night, or maybe the day after when he slept off the alcohol, they asked him to give it a go as front man. Fuck me sideways, it was a good choice.
There is something refreshing about his lyrics: It almost feels like there is a story being told. Nothing else really stands out, but that can be good at times. I know that I listen to a plethora of bands who all have one person at a focal point. It is nice to not have to deal with that for once.
At the end of the day, this album is host to at least one of my favourite songs. Potentially two. Not entirely sure.



(As you watch this, picture me thrashing about. That will guarantee the full experience)

Honorable Mentions

To quote one of my favourite Maximo Park songs: "THAT'S ENOUGH! I can't take anymore..." By that, I mean I wont do all 40 reviews I had lined up. I will still do most of them, but I am going to do a quick one-line "buy this record" sort of thing. Or, links to reviews in the past.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE- SONGS FOR THE DEAF
The drumming on this album is really cool. The song writing is varied and unique. It also has some of the most inappropriate lines hidden in the madness.



JIM GUTHRIE- SWORD AND SWORCERY LP | THE BALLAD OF THE SPACE BABIES
I consider this one of the great video game soundtracks and one of the greatest soundscape records of all time. It could be used as a hip hop backtrack or it is just something great to put on in the background. It doesn't help that is also belongs to one of the greatest indi games ever made. I may be biased.



MILIEU - EUFLORIA
Great ambient electronica. Four discs worth of greatness. I really don't have the time to listen to all of this, but fuck, it is so good.



PROTEST THE HERO - KEZIA
By far, one of the most technical albums that ever existed. It is my favourite that this band has produced, as well as a great time on drums. I enjoyed many hours trying to learn "Blindfolds Aside."


U.N.K.L.E. - PSYENCE FICTION
I feel like this may be one of the greatest electro/hip hop albums that have ever existed. Unfortunately, I no longer have this album in my library. I say unfortunately, but it's probably for the sanity of everyone around me. I would not stop playing it.

This took forever to find.


WEEN - QUEBEC
The only reason I have this album in a short review form is because I don't know how to have one opinion for such a diverse album. I can't decide whether I take this band seriously or not, but damn this album is cool.


SILVERSUN PICKUPS - CARVANUS
Basically, they want to be the Smashing Pumpkins. It is okay, though, because this album is still fantastic. It has the same drive that has been missing from rock for years.



SAMSARIS - ST
I already did this. I will say that everyone should look into this album.



THE CURE - KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME
80's alternative punk. Such a fantastic snapshot of the era.


That is all you get this time. I'll do a proper review next week. Until then, I wish thee farewell and much love!
Let me know some how if you have checked out an album I have written about! I would like to hear your opinion and I thrive on discussion!

AS I REACH UP MY HANDS TO THE SKY

Goddamn I love this album. I am currently listening to Control by Misery Signals. I was introduced to this band because Pat Hussey said "Are you fucked? You are a drummer and you don't know this band?!" Well, my drunk and/or stoned friend, thank you. He showed me Mirrors, which I love very much, but I picked up Control on the release date and I never looked at music the same way again.

I don't want my love for this album to be taken as misplaced. I really wish that one of my favourite albums was not metal. My goodness, I wish I did not spend days, if not weeks, trying to learn the drum line to "A Certain Death" and only gave up when my hands were raw and bleeding. My throat has been thrashed from screaming along to "Labrythnian" and I did not even care. I wore the scars I have gained from this album like a fucking trophy. I really wish that I wouldn't fanboy over this one, but damnit I can't help it.

Okay; I am done gushing and now, I will write the review part. The guitars are haunting. Even when this band is doing the obligatory early 2000's breakdown, there seems to be some level of beauty. Not to say that the album is not heavy. I think most people would be hard pressed to find a heavier album.

Note on the drums: They Are Fucking Stupid. By stupid, I mean that I an surprised that anyone could ever come up with them. They follow the guitar lines most of the time. That is not saying the guitar lines would be easy to follow, and it is far from a copout.

The song I picked to share off this album is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. It is called "Coma." Please enjoy.

Last post before I leave...

Random link jumping. Came up with some different and interesting artists and whatnot to look into.

Audrey Napoleon :: Random producer who does stuff. Some of it is pretty neat. It is a bit more dance-pop than I usually look into.

Brendan Canning :: Finally got a stream of the new album (in link) and it sounds pretty cool. Also, he started another label, thus the not being released on Arts & Crafts.

Dream Affair :: I keep checking in with this band every so often just to see what is new. 80's Goth, today!

Beliefs :: I'm on a bit of a dream-pop thing. These guys are pretty cool.

CST Sampler :: Constellation Records did a sampler a little while ago. Worth poking around on, if you are looking for something obscure. I'm not a fan of the full 40 whatever minuets, but to each their own.

I hope something in that list brings you a great feeling.
I'm off to do something that is very similar to this list, except I'm not going to tell anyone about it.
Also, I'M GOING TO ICELAND. BYE.

-J

Off Topic.

I seem to have several un-published posts. That's fine.

Today I have been listening to music that always seems to alter my perspective on what music is and can be. It all started when I grabbed Sufjan Stevens' Age of ADZ. The standard listen to this album is that I listen to the entire thing at least once, then skip back to track ten and loop it until my voice is horse. I will be the first to admit that of all the songs to sing along to, I sure did pick the closest to being a 2004-core emo set. I think I just enjoy the range jumps in that song and how it ALWAYS seems to be accessible to my limited range. There is also something therapeutic about singing "I want to be well" in a rhythmic round to then be followed by yelling "I'm not fucking around.." a billion* times in a row. The other thing about that song is how impossible it would be to recreate live without having two-thousand* people on stage with you. I would also like to take this moment to point out how the drums in the crescendo are lame and weak.

*May be a hyperbole.

The second album I sat through in its entirety today was A Silver Mount Zion's he has left us alone but shafts of light sometimes grace the corner of our rooms. This will probably always remain as one of my top post-rock AND classical albums of all time. The movements are beautifully timed, the layers are perfectly separated... AHHHH I could go on for days. The thing that happens when I am listening to this album is that I get completely enveloped into the music and I can't seem to concentrate on anything else going on around me. Though haunting, I never find it depressing. Though beautiful, I never find myself stumbling. It is just completely what it is. I can't say that I know to many albums that I can say that about.

Last but not least is Sigur Ros with their album (). This album has a tendency to bring me to tears when I'm (not?) in the right frame of mind. Everything I said about ASMZ? Make it so, then double it. If you have ever seen the videos they released around that album, then you know exactly what to feel. It's claustrophobic, restrictive, degrading and fucking amazing. Untitled Track 8 has broken me down on several occasions just because of the several minute build to the most intense explosion of cacophony I can think of ever to be created by men. Fuck. I can never think of an album that has moved me more in my existence than that one has. It has shaped me as a person and has changed me as a musician and all without saying a coherent word. Quite literally. The album is written in the fictional "Vonlenska/Hopelandic" because the singer was sick of people trying to figure out what he way trying to say. If there was an album I could hear just before I lost every last frequency from my hearing, it would be this one. I think I have (at least tried) to share this album with every person in my life so far. I really do have to thank Johnny for getting me into them back when I was in grade 10. If he had any clue how much this album has meant to me, he would probably rub it in my face for ever doubting him.

Well that turned into a gush fest. I don't think I realized how much I enjoyed that album until I started writing this.
As I mentioned, I have a few posts that I never posted either because they are incomplete, or they were just not good. They are all full of something neat, so maybe I'll just combine them and GIANT-BLOG.


-J

I may have set the bar a bit high....

Welcome to my 20th post! Well, number 20 that I keep up, anyway. I did remove a few of the more boring posts. As well as some that were far too related to things that were life based.

I made mention around a week ago that I was going to do a top albums list. This is still the plan, but it will be postponed for quite some time. I realized that in order for me to do this properly, I would first need to go through ever album I own and figure out what ones mattered. This is not as daunting as I was initially thinking it would be (took me only a few hours to do about a quarter), but it has been far too busy to get finished. I'm also breaking everything into categories so I'm not keeping important albums off a list because I listen to them less. For instance, I listen to Animals as Leaders far more than Godspeed You, Black Emperor! but I would easily put F# A# Infinity on my top lists.

The next big question is what lists and guidelines should I use when selecting the music? Should I make "Top EP's" a thing and keep EP's off the rest of the charts? Should I be putting a brief explanation why I love every album, or just the number ones? Should I be linking videos or tracks when available? Should I be doing a list a week at the end of other updates, or just spam out something huge when completed? So many questions for such a huge project!

While these questions remain in speculation, here are a few things that I either picked up or rediscovered over the last couple of weeks.

Tears for Fears - The Hurting.

Classic album! Anyone who knows me, knows that I harbour much love for this British duo. Songs From the Big Chair is still one of my favourite albums of all time and Sewing the Seeds of Love is one of the earliest memories I have. I blame this band for my love of industrial music and for keeping my mind open to so many different ideas of where music can go. Are they cheesy? Hell yes! They get away with it through being so genuine in everything that they did for most of their career. I still hold that the original version of Mad World puts Gary Jules to shame, though I will admit he understood the underlaying tones of what that song was trying to say. For a debut album, it screams potential and great imagination. If you have a soft spot for eighties music and works of art, I would put this on your "must find" list. I picked it up a while ago on vinyl from a shop in Waterloo and haven't stopped playing it when I'm in my room since.

Animals as Leaders - Weightless

This is one of those albums where I listen to it, then don't touch my drums for a week because I am not worthy. Though still very metal, this album closer resembles a jazz composition. No bass, just two eight string guitars and a drummer who doesn't let up. I tend to not remember any one part of this album because I get so lost in the many layers and rhythms. Very few albums leave me feeling absorbed and yet still a spectator. Still one of my favourite albums to drive late at night to; the groove is a great soundtrack to a night sky. When I say the term groove, I do not use it lightly. Every song, no matter how complicated, falls on a groove that anyone can find. It is what keeps this band different from most of the other progressive instrumental metal that has come out before it. The only thing that keeps this from being my favourite of the AaL albums is the lack of a 10 minute long song. I do loves me some unnecessarily long tunes!

Attack In Black - Years (By One Thousand Fingertips)

This is more of a rediscovery than a new procurement. This week, we had a copy of Marriage come through my fascinating. It is one of my favourite Canadian albums, but this tops it in every way, minus the punk way. I still find it fascinating that a band that has such a punk/hard core root can grow up to be such a great folk outfit. I have my suspicions that this band will never reconvene; they have all had great success doing other things. This album is their swan song. Such beautiful ideas, songs, and lyrics. There is very little to talk about because it all seems so simple in my eyes. I'm sure there are a million nuances that my little brain can not figure out, but I honestly do not wish to. It will remain a great pop/folk album in my mind and I am really okay with that.

Here is the single off of the album. It's less folk and more pop rock, but still awesome.


Well, that is all I have for now. I hope the upcoming week is awesome and I hope that you are all doing well.
If you have some recommendations on how I could go about my list, please don't hesitate to comment below or shoot my an e-mail in some capacity.

-J

Where went the number? Where have you been?!

*exaggerated sigh* What a long time away from blogging! What have I accomplished? Absolutely nothing! Let's crack on.

E3

Oh E3: there is so much information you cram down my throat minute by minute.

Some news has been absolutely astonishing. Who knew that we would actually see a Half Life 3 game ever?

Some news has been absolutely confusing. What do you mean Half Life 3 is a Wii-U exclusive?

But other news has been mostly expected.

I honestly had to miss the XBOX conference due to work. I am waiting for a reliable release of the conference of its entirety before I go making incredibly rash comments or stating anything that I can't confirm as fact. I was rather happy to hear that the game line-up sounded fantastic and full, with many good games ready at launch. Even the price point sounded great when I read the little information I could find when I got around to it. $499 for a next-gen console launch?! That is the same price of the 360 when it debuted back in 2005. Tack on the prospect of a new Killer Instinct exclusive and I was actually considering picking up this piece of North American machinery! The only thing that raised and eyebrow was the apparent lack of information surrounding all the drama that has been surrounding the machine since before the press conference last month.

You see, this is what I had been all excited about before the Sony press conference had started. The first half of the Sony announcement went exactly as I predicted...

"Here is the PS3 and some games. OH YEAH; We have a Vita! Now here is what the PS4 looks like! Isn't it smaller than the XBOX and with a better name?! Please ignore that it looks like a melted PS2! Did you know we had a record label AS WELL as a movie studio!?"

Please do not take that as a bad thing. They announced some pretty sweet titles and had some cool demonstrations. They also had some great news for Indi dev's with self publication being a viable option and a possible Indi Game store tacked onto PSN. Watching Assassin's Creed IV freeze up during gameplay made me smile and listening to the awkward chatter of the Bungie crew during the Destiny stuff was pretty fun. THEN THE BIG NEWS! Not only did they talk about the DRM questions in everyones mind (which I hear Microsoft actually avoided), they encouraged the sharing of games between friends! They talked about how yes, you will have to pay for multiplayer now instead of it being free. They also talked about some huge bonuses for Plus members! They even came up with a price point $100 cheaper than Microsoft.

I think to further understand where I come from in regards to this, you need to understand my background in current-gen gaming.

I jumped ship from XBOX about two years ago because, when it comes down to it, more friends had the PS3. The last new release I purchased on the 360 was, if I'm not mistaken, Mass Effect 3. I much prefer the controller on the 360 and I found the user interface easier to deal with until the big Windows 8 updates started rolling in. I am disappointed with how poorly Microsoft has been dealing with the controversy surrounding the next generation of the platform I enjoyed so much through high school and what little of my adult life I have lived. Sony has stolen my heart by being true to gamers and very upfront with any news that might effect my ability to play games.

I had to miss everything to do with Nintendo today, so I will hopefully have more information and opinions as I get to hear some stuff. As someone whose first console was a Nintendo Entertainment System and owned most other Nintendo products post 1990, I really want a reason to purchase a Wii-U. Half Life 3 and Bayonetta 2 have come close to a good enough reason, but I might just wait to see where Zelda goes after the Wind Waker HD Remake.

MUSIC!

New Boards of Canada is amazing. I am about to wrap up the final side and writing has been a chore because I keep getting lost in the emotions and rhythm of the album. Music Has A Right To Children is one of my top albums of all time, so I was looking forward to this release since I heard about that amazing little game they played with everyone. And who could forget their RSD fun?
To anyone who doesn't know this collective, Boards Of Canada are basically this amazing ambient dance group who have created the perfect soundtrack for anyone who feels like their day might not actually be happening. At times a little melancholy, others almost tacky, their audio brilliance is a must. Maybe not a great choice for a party, though..

If you are looking for a great rock album that I completely forgot got released, I would look towards OK GO's third album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. It's a great album with great songs and potentially even better music videos! They are one of the few bands that I have found where every album is good and every album is just different enough. If you enjoy the sound, please go and enjoy their albums. Do it for yourself and maybe your neighbour who is sick of you blasting something horrible. My family sure is sick of Dillinger Escape Plan this week, I'm sure...

I'm sure I missed something huge, but I'll just throw it in my next update. I'm currently compiling a list of bands that I forgot about that all released really good albums between the years of 2002 and 2010. I'll post the link when that is up and ready for some sort of consumption. Please leave some positive personal feedback about E3 in the comments below and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY give me a reason to love and trust XBOX again!

10) Ten, really?

Oh time off: how I have missed you. It was March that I last had more than one day off in a week. Thursday I napped for an entire hour because why the fuck not! It was glorious.

I digress. I should probably mention that my store loves me right now. In the last week, I have picked up the following albums:

At The Drive-In - Acrobatic Tenement
The good ol' reissue of At The Drive-In's first full length album on bright red vinyl. Dine Alone Records has done a great job with these reissues. The liner notes and artwork is all faithfully restored and the presses are great. I would say that this is an essential grab for anyone who loves fast sudo-punk and recordings that can sound like shit and sound amazing at the same time. One thing that threw me off was that this particular press does not come sealed. Paper Bag Records has been notorious for this with all the limited edition releases they have been doing as of late. I don't think it changes much and the environmentalist inside me is quite happy. There will always be that worry that someone is going to score just the wax and leave the sleeve behind, but that is just years of working in customer service talking.

I had a friend who died for something he really loved I had a friend who stood for none of the above I had a friend whose experience was riddled with scars who got drunk one night in the trunk of Louie P.'s car I had a friend who would love to scare you as was his affection and tremble you did, cuz you weren't worthy of his friendship I had a friend, but now he's stranded on the Mesa St. exit and sometimes I'm jealous cuz I'm still at the intersection I had a friend whose heart was too heavy to hold...

At The Drive-In - Relationship of Command
AHAHAHAHAHAHA I GOT IT! I was kind of worried it wouldn't happen. I also just got notice from a buddy of mine that he picked up the Cure LP I wanted, but more on that next week. Limited reissue on the biggest album of ATDI's career? I think it will come back, but maybe on black vinyl instead of yellow. In the mean time, I'm going to play the paranoid record store guy and assume that I will never see it again as long as I live. It sounds great and feels great and my god One Arm Scissor is such a wicked tune.

At The Drive-In - Vaya
What? I talked about the other two I have and I'm missing In Casino/Out, so Yes: I am going to type about my favorite album that they ever released. White ten inch. I hate white. I think ten inch records are pretty, but impractical. Other than that, great fucking album. Ok, on to that other one I picked up durring the week.

Emily Haines and The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back
One of the most beautiful albums to be released in Canada, not to mention one of the most beautiful solo attempts I have ever heard. Emily Haines of Metric really shows how diverse her vocal ranges can be and just how great of a song writer she is. Yes, it is apparent that she ripped most of the subject matter from the pages of Margret Attwood's Handmaid's Tale (which is a terrible book, by the way), but she used it in a very modern and good way. Did I mention that the album is incredibly pretty?

5) Yeah, I'm still doing this.

AHHH! Now that was the very definition of a busy week. I am officially first aid qualified and I'm pretty sure I clocked over 40 hours in the work place again. Time moves on, and Easter is here, and I got to see Sigur Ros last night!


It was pretty amazing. Oneohtrix Point Never opened the show. He's almost like if you were to cross Aphex Twin with Sigur Ros; pretty strings and choir samples, sliced together in a frantic collection of sounds.


Sigur Ros themselves, I felt, started a bit weak. They had this curtin in front of them for the first couple of songs. I had a neat effect for a little bit, but they weren't doing enough with it to warrant how long it was up. As soon as it dropped, I felt like the show began. I can't really remember the set. I did mean to take notes. I wound up sitting there, gapping maw, blown away by the brilliance and beauty of what was in front of me. They played every song that I wanted to hear (minus BaBa from the EP BaBaTiKiDiDo, but I would have been REALLY surprised), and even the songs I didn't care for on album sounded amazing. I still haven't heard the newest release, but now I almost have to because of how BAD ASS the songs were. The one piano player/aux percussionist had a full rack of metal slabs to get a proper "pot and pan" feel.

The back drop for the set was all the modified music video clips you can find from past shows. They did a good job at meshing images displayed on the screen and some of the stage lighting to make things seem like they were one. The lighting was really cool; either really organic lights set up like stars, or frantic strobes and spot lights to convey the frantic nature of some parts. Joining Sigur Ros on stage was a horn section (who, though very talented, I have no clue who they were) and I thought it was Amiina rejoining to fill out the string section, but I have been corrected. Everyone played their parts brilliantly, though it was fun to hear the occasional bunk note.

Now for things I could talk about any day.

Bioshock Infinite is staring me in the face. I really would like the time to get that plastic wrap off. I am beyond stoked that it has finally been released, now it's just a question on when to play it.

To my dearest metal heads: please do yourself the favor of looking up the Toronto band Titan. They are by far one of my favorite bands in Canada and my favorite metal band who haven't broken up. Bone-crushing rhythms and tear-evoking melodies in a soul-destroying arrangement with relentless and bloodied cries piercing through the cascading collection of melodiousness sounds. Parts and pieces of their sound reminds me of the Hamilton local band named Hoosier Poet, which is another one of my favorites.

Here is a horrible sounding live video. It's still pretty, though.

Here is the BandCamp for the new album.

Basically, what I'm getting at is that I love bands that remind me of Buried Inside and all of their brutal, beautiful sounds.

AND NOW FOR ME TO GUSH OVER BURIED INSIDE!

This band still holds the status of the prettiest band I have ever heard. It is the only band that can brutally beat the shit out of my ears and I cry with joy and absolute awe. I came in durring the era around their second album 'Chronoclast: Selected Essays On Times Reckoning And Auto-Cannibalism' and what a brilliant time to find them. The album is one long song broken into ten tracks with names to keep the theme going. Might I add that I'm pretty sure the drummer uses a single kick the entire time? Isn't that just amazing?
I was rather depressed when I found out that I missed their last show a couple of years ago. I had heard that they were coming up to ten years playing brutally fast music with hectic shows and mostly just playing for food and new an end was in sight. Of course, when someone offered me tickets and didn't mention it was their last show, I thought I'd have another year at least. Boy, was I red.

Shit quality, but you get the idea.

3) Another week...

Well, this week was very long, very tiring, and full of new. This update will be short, but I'll try to keep it somewhat interesting.

First off, I have set myself a schedule of updating Wednesday and Sunday. Hopefully I can adhere to this schedule.

NOW FOR SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING!

Aphex Twin has been coming up a lot over the last month or so. My buddy Nate and I have been drooling over the vinyl rereleases of a good portion of Richard D. James and ...I Care Because You Do. I'm waiting patiently for Drukqs to be reissued even though I have this sneaking suspicion that it will never happen. Richard D. James is one of my heroes in music strictly because he does everything he wants to do and has been for a very long time. I will admit that I am not the hugest Electo fan and I am not well versed in all IDM, but I feel like few would disagree when I say he is one of the best in the genre. He has written a song based on a ball bouncing on a drum pad and has brought us some of the most disturbing music videos ever to be produced.



This has been a weird week around the store. It seems like Joy Division is making a huge resurgence (which is far from a bad thing). The idea of '80s Goth and Post Punk being asked about has me very excited. I have such a plethora of useless knowledge on the subject and it has been a very long time since I have been able to engage strangers and customers about music I actually care about. I think part of the blame should be directed towards the ever classic Depeche Mode. The new album is far from their best, but I have to admit that it was not as bad as I was afraid it was going to be. The first single is very boring and seems to go nowhere, however. It is great to see such an iconic and important band still releasing albums that don't suck. Nine Inch Nails also reviled a tour and new album for this year, so my new industrial itch is being soothed by good attempts and great news!

New Bowie came out this month to. Felt like I should mention it, seeing as it is in context.
He's done worse, and better. I say check it out and get back to me.

I should start making lists of releases that are notable for myself so I can streamline. I am sorry for all the rambly nonsense. So much has been coming up and there are so many albums that I'm just behind on. Grizzly Bear is such a band: I love Shields, but I feel like I really need to listen to more before I'm aloud to have any sort of opinion.

In (some sort of) conclusion; this is a weak update and I will make the next one better. Maybe I'll do something other than work 21 hours in 2 days and come up with something good for the next post.

2) This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Creative outlets? Not a subscriber, though I hear they are nice. One could argue that a blog is a creative outlet but I haven't been posting long enough (or regular enough) to really notice any sort of creative relief. As of right now; I see blogging as a nice way to kill a few hours and to get some of the noise out of my head. Plus it gives me something to better myself at (Give me feedback). Some days I wish I had a way to express myself in a multitude of sensory pleasures, but I have far too many ideas without any clue as to how to express them. One day I'll figure it out.

Until then, here are a few friends of mine who are doing some amazing things with their talents.

Chelsea Zimmerman :: Carapace Photography

For fans of Horror and all things Macabre.

My girlfriend Chelsea has really started to push her photography out into the world. She specializes in horror, gore & pin-up scenes. The thing I respect most about her work is that she is working with a micro budget and her friends. She is fantastic at direction and her angles she produces are unique and well lit. She comes at it the same way a director would a film. As a giant plus: I get to kill people in a good portion of her pictures! Always a good time. I'll post one of the murder-y pictures of me from a couple of weeks ago to keep things vain and to keep looking as arrogant as ever!!!! ^_^

I'm the one in the hazmat suit, in case you were wondering.

Luka (Luke) Kelly :: Hellhound Fashion

For nerds, fashion people, and people who like all things awesome.

Luka Kelly (from here on in referred to as Luke and if she has an issue with it she can just hit me later) has been one of my best friends for a very long time. She has always made her own clothing as well as doing clothing designs for local bands. She used to run a screen printing company out of her basement, press buttons, web design, myspace layouts, web hosting, and so many other things, all before she graduated high school. Now that Luke is finally done fashion school and has since been pushing incredible stuff out onto the internet for your credit cards to purchase. Seriously, her stuff is incredible. Click the picture below for a link to her Etsy. The link beside her name is to her fantastic Blog. She has always been better at that stuff then me. I won't tell her that I'm jealous, but I think by now she must know.

OH: Forgot to mention she is the biggest Marvel/Spider-Man fan I have ever met and so much of her swag is related in some way. Fellow nerds: ENJOY! Fellow DC fans, respect and keep quiet. She's small, but seriously, her right hook is cruel.

Kevin Fraser :: LIVESTALK

For fans of the ideas behind Sonic Youth, The Melvins and The Pixies

Kevin & I used to play in a band together for a few years. All Cut Up was the first serious band I was in and let me experiment both musically and professionally. He is one of the most talented sound creators I have ever had the pleasure of working with and has always had a keen eye for all things fucked in day-to-day life. We stopped working together shortly after I joined the hardcore group The Twin back in 2009 due to time constraints and life moving forward. The last thing I did with Kevin directly was session work on the Livestalk & The Bodies album Eudaimonia, which was released in August 2011. I played on 3 tracks using a four-piece kit with one ride and hi-hats. The musicians who wound up filling the rest of that album humbled me in ways no one would ever understand. Kevin painted a piece of art that I still listen to most days. He now plays in several bands all over Hamilton and, from what I can tell, is playing a gig most nights at some club somewhere in the downtown core. Everything on his BandCamp pages is either free or way too cheap for what it is. Please go support him.

There is so much other great stuff on the internet that Kevin has done. I am pretty sure I know less than I don't when it comes to his catalog.

Patrick Hussey :: Solo Work

For fans of Pop, Acoustic and Electro (but feel like there isn't enough crossover).

Oh Pat, what can't you do? This kid does so much work on so many different ideas that he keeps in that head of his that I can't even follow half of it (I do try, though). Pat and I have been jamming since 2007 and been playing shows since we started in the local scene. He has always been doing his solo acoustic stuff while fucking around with programs like Fruity Loops and ProTools to get his sound to one unique enough to stand some sort of time test. Everything he does is without an internet connection for tips or tricks for mixing. It is without any sort of training or preparation.  Everything he does is DIY (or with some help from friends) and it seems to always get better and better. He is still one of my best friends and I hope some day we can collaborate on something else, even if it's just one track.

Now, let's drop this beat!

Seriously folks, I posted this because I didn't expect to see it on the same page as his acoustic stuff. Click the links and go check out his SoundCloud. It's full.



*****************************************************************
This blog was put together while not only listening to and reading the amazing things my friends have done, but also while spinning Portishead's self-titled release from 1997. Jazzy, classy, haunting, and beautiful.
*****************************************************************


Are you interested in more independent goodness? If people wish, I can keep dropping "Friend Spots" now and again to keep everyone posted.