The Purple Tux
With just enough education to perform.Friday, June 18, 2004
Alienated and alone, buy one and get one free.
The only revolution is the downward spiral.
Everything you see is all that you get. I'm sorry that everytime I look in the mirror, I only see the saddest and emptiest eyes I have ever seen. Rethink, rewind, replay it all in my mind. But the eyes are a window to the soul, and the years have not been kind.
Service ends early, but open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Or make that "weak," just like me. Everyday, wake up and whisper. Whisper the words I want to hear. "Everyday, in every way, I am getting better and better." So why does my heart feel so bad?
It's just that feeling you get like when a child walks into his favorite toy store, chooses the toy he wants, and finds that mommy and daddy left their wallets at home. Morally defeated. Bonecrushing. Slack-jawed and just a downer. Understands, but still... Why? Lesson learned, let's go home. Moping won't do at all. But would it kill him to crawl?
Fragments of pieces. Smother myself in the shards of broken dreams, crushed hopes, and blood-stirring disappointments. In other words, a mountain with a twenty one year history. If I had a cake, I'd eat it, too, but they were all sold out when I went to the bakery.
Where is my mountain? It was so big, I thought I couldn't see it. Then I looked down and realized I was already on the peak. Now, how the hell do I get down?
Sometimes I just want to give up. Body temperature falling, lungs losing, distance too far. I want to sit at the feet of the storyteller, close my eyes, and let the story end.
An outlet. Now all that's left is an expression. Steal my suitcase, steal my Sunday, steal my sunset. Just please, please steal my mirror. The empty eyes don't need to be reminded. They already rethink, replay, and rewind. Listen, it's all in the mind. The heart is just beating too much. Slow down, please. Just, just slow down. The mind will listen. Just slow down. And no one would mind because it'd be my mind. So please, won't you just slow down?
I wrestle with all these guilty thoughts. And I'm losing. Sooner or later, things will all turn out for the better.
For tomorrow is a new day. Shame that I don't know what to do.
All else is silence. Now please, just stop beating.
Friday, June 11, 2004
[Okay, so I procrastinated and mellowed out like crap in a broken toilet, but I've finally finished this, not that anyone cares. It's only like half a year late. Not bad. Running on Ultimates schedule here.]
This is on the record.
As you know, two of my biggest hobbies are music and literature. Scanning through my past several posts, it seems as though my obsession with stuff like comics has permeated my writing, so I think it's about time to dedicate a post to music. Yeah, this is a few months late, but it's about time for me to advertise my favorite albums of 2003. Let's go.
Hmm. First, let's get the crap out of the way. I have to say, out of all the 2003 albums that I bought last year, the biggest disappointment was "Love" from The Juliana Theory. The album doesn't completely suck, but it's just missing something. Their previous full-length, "Emotion Is Dead," is actually one of my favorite indie rock-type albums. "Emotion Is Dead" was just a sweet all-around record; it had variety in its music, the melodies were all pretty sweet, and you could just feel the passion from the band in that album. It was a unique album, not just a straight-up rock album, which "Love" is, in my mind. Don't get me wrong, "Love" has some good songs and some pretty dang catchy songs, but it didn't feel like a logical progression/improvement of their sound. It sounded a little bit too serious, just a tad bit presumptuous, and it just wasn't as "fun" as the previous album. I still like The Juliana Theory, but again, I was sorely disappointed with "Love."
Okay. Just as there are tiers in Street Fighter (for example, in Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: Top Tier = Storm, Sentinel, Cable, Magneto; Upper Middle = Iron Man, Cyclops, etc., and so on), I've decided to organize the albums of 2003 (the ones I've listened to closely, obviously) into tiers. I'm only one man, though, so expect some albums to not be here on this list, most notably the White Stripes' Elephant, which I never got around to buying.
Top Tier
"Think Tank," by Blur. This is my single favorite album of last year. Every song is interesting, every song is beautiful. Superficially, it's got all the earmarks of a "typical" Blur record; that is to say, soft slow songs, fast punky songs, and weird indie rockish experimental songs. And yet, where other albums had boring moments when Blur's ambitions stretched too high to handle, "Think Tank" is perfection. Their lead guitarist left in the middle of the recording sessions, so their sound changed quite a bit compared to their other albums, but overall, the quality of the songwriting is just too high. There are all sorts of aurally pleasing sounds on this record: dig the exotic Moroccan percussion, dig the sweet rhythm section, particularly the bass parts. A couple songs actually have some really good bass leads, which is somewhat unusual (um, unless you're Primus). For the sake of space, I've opted not to continue going off on how good this album is. If you know who Mike Aalseth is, and how he always goes off on how much he loves Switchfoot, just imagine me ranting the same way about how good this record is. Needless to say, if you don't already own a legal copy of this album yet, you ought to buy one. Same goes for anything in my top tier.
"Mary, Star of the Sea," by Zwan. Now I know Billy Corgan's "new" band broke up before 2003 even ended, but the one album they made is awesome. I still remember going to the record store on the Tuesday it came out. Some people don’t like Corgan’s voice because it’s too nasally or weird, or something. I happen to like his voice. He’s got a raw, passionate, even kinda sarcastic tone to his voice. Anyway, “Mary, Star of the Sea” is one of the best straight-up rock and roll albums of 2003. Pumpkins influences are evident, I suppose, but it’s mainly Corgan’s distinctive voice that recalls them.
“Hail To The Thief,” by Radiohead. I think Chris Warren and I were the first two guys in Davis to own a special edition copy of this album. We went to Tower Records at like 9AM, right when they opened and hadn’t even started unpacking their shipment. It’s Radiohead being slightly more accessible than Kid A and Amnesiac. I remember reading an interview with Thom Yorke where he calls the album “dark pop,” but it’s mainly just dark. Cynical, paranoid, but poetic- I’ve always enjoyed Yorke’s lyrics. Sure, it’s not the ultimate perfection of “OK Computer,” but then again, what is?
“The Decline of British Sea Power,” by British Sea Power. You’re probably scratching your head and wonder, who the hell are British Sea Power, and what the hell kinda name is that? I heard about these guys on some Internet forum and I saw their album for pretty cheap, so I bought it. Like their name implies, they are from the UK (I love UK rock, by the way- it’ll be pretty obvious soon). It’s hard to describe their sound precisely; they just can’t be pinned down. The most obvious comparison would be post-punk in a similar vein to Joy Division, but a little bit louder and with some more evident melodies. It’s raw but tuneful, and it’s possibly the greatest debut album of modern times I’ve ever heard, or at least high up there.
“She Must And Shall Go Free,” by Derek Webb. This is another not so famous artist. He’s a Christian singer, too, so if you aren’t into that scene, it’s even more unlikely you’d have heard of him or his music. Musically, his album is very folky, kinda bluesy singer/songwriter type stuff, all very well composed and performed. Lyrically and emotionally, though, is where this album totally shines. It’s all about the role of the Church in life. All of the songs are thought provoking and challenging in this sense, as it really forces a person (especially a Christian) to reevaluate his lifestyle and all that stuff. Yeah, anyway, I’m embarrassed by a lot of Contemporary Christian Music, but I know a great album when I hear it, and this is great. Or let me put it this way: when I first started listening to this album, for the entire first week I ONLY listened to the first six tracks. Why? Because those first six tracks were so good that I was absolutely scared to listen to the rest of the album. Fortunately, when I finally listened to the rest of it, the quality was consistent.
Upper Middle Tier
“Thirteenth Step,” by A Perfect Circle. This is one awesome record, man. It’s proof that mainstream rock can still be awesome. Musically and lyrically, it’s pretty dark and depressing, yet throughout all that turmoil and brooding, I get the sense that the music is indeed searching for hope. It’s hard to explain. I really dig the drumming on this album, and it’s pretty cool to hear the Cure influences, too (listen to “Blue”).
“Ohio,” by Over The Rhine. Over The Rhine is not such a well-known band, but this double-album would serve as a good introduction to them, I think. I never really listened to their music closely until I bought this, but it’s strong. To describe their sound, I guess I’d say they’re kinda folky, kinda alternative, kinda mature, smart pop, indie rock style. Not a very precise description I’m afraid, especially for an English major, but remember, I don’t have my diploma yet. Since it’s a double-album’s worth of songs, not every song has grown on me (yet; I’ll probably continue to appreciate the album as I listen to it even more), but the songs that ARE memorable are right beautiful pieces. Nice melodies, and the vocalist is just top tier. Her name is Karen Bergquist, and she has awesome range and sings with passion. I did some research and she’s a classically trained vocalist, whatever that means (okay, I didn’t really do any research, I just read someone else’s review of this album). Overall, I would recommend this album to people who are looking for something different, something a little less mainstream, and still good.
“12 Memories,” by Travis. I dig British music. Travis aren’t as popular as, like, Coldplay, but don’t underestimate these guys. Whereas “Hail To The Thief” didn’t really fall under the “dark pop” category, I’d say “12 Memories” fits neatly under that description (not to limit its sound and emotion, of course). Most of the songs here are strong, catchy, melodic rock/pop songs, but there’s definitely a darker edge to the music and the lyrics. It’s a little bit subtle on some songs, but overall, there’s a definite sense of darkness and even cynicism throughout the record. “Happy To Hang Around,” the penultimate song on the record (not counting bonus track), has a great, great musical build-up to go with its not-so-subtle sarcastic little message. Travis are a great band that I think more people should check out, considering the popularity of Coldplay and their followers.
“You Gotta Go There To Come Back,” by Stereophonics. Yet another great British band. I don’t think they’re too well-known in the States, but this is a really, really good album from a solid band. Out of all British bands I’ve heard, I think Stereophonics sound the least blatantly British (besides Bush, but, um, Bush is… ehhh… Yeah.). There’s some blues rock influence in a few songs, some soul power (I dig “Maybe Tomorrow,” my favorite song of theirs ever), some “dark pop” (dig the title track), some lackadaisical (not in a boring way, but in a chill, mellow out kinda way) American folk, and yet it’s still tied together somehow. Just about every song on this album is sweet, and the ones that didn’t grab me immediately have grown on me. For example, the first track, “Help Me (She’s Out of Her Mind)” is a seven minute long jam, which I thought was pretty weird the first few dozen times. Now, it simply seems to make sense as the lead off track. That, my friends, is what albums are all about- You gotta step back sometimes and let the album stand as a single, cohesive work, not just as a collection bookended by a few catchy songs with “filler” and boring songs in between.
Middle Tier
“World Service,” by Delirious?. These guys are another British band, and pretty popular in the Christian community as well. I’ve always loved this band, but their past couple of albums disappointed me (“Mezzamorphis,” their album from 1997, is one of my favorite records of all time), so I didn’t have too many expectations with their latest. “World Service” ain’t “Mezzamorphis,” but it’s a step in the right direction, and lets me know they are on the path to recovery. Mellow, vibey rock and roll with some very catchy melodies.
“Lovers, Lead The Way!,” by Viva Voce. Here’s another husband and wife indie rock duo (Over The Rhine is the other husband/wife combo). This album probably would have ranked higher, except that I felt it was too long. Fifteen tracks makes for a pretty intense listening experience no matter how good the music is. Fortunately, most of it is really quite good. Try to picture a kind of Sonic Youth meets the Beatles type of sound here. “Lovers, Lead The Way!” manages to sound fuzzed out and lo-fi without sounding forced and overly intentionally underproduced. It’s not as difficult to listen to as, say, My Bloody Valentine,” but this is, with the exception of a couple of songs, NOT an easy listening pop record. This is music for people who like to think and listen to deep sonic textures. It’s definitely positive music and it’s exactly the type of record to play on a pretty sunny day like today.
“Ether Song,” by Turin Brakes. British again. I can’t help but be drawn to the music across the sea. This album is definitely closer to the Upper Middle Tier than the Lower Middle Tier. Imagine Doves [the (British) band] crossed over with a singer/songwriter like Jeff Buckley. These are some haunting, kinda folky yet distinctively British songs. Very affecting stuff. It’s the kind of music I love when I’m feeling contemplative, which is probably my state of being at least fifty percent of my waking hours.
“Rockets And Robots,” by The Phenomenauts. I only got this album a couple of weeks ago. Sam Ho and I saw these guys play at Picnic Day, and I have to say, I was blown away. From a distance I thought they were just another generic punk band, but then I got closer and they put on a great live show. Shoot, they have a stand-up bassist, and at the end of a song, he picked up his freakin’ stand-up bass and started swinging it around! Their whole gimmick is science fiction rock and roll- “Rocket Roll.” They dress up in futuristic costumes and funky helmets, use weird devices like a “Toiletpaperator” (I believe it’s a modified leaf blower) and mega-powered Nerf rocket launchers. Pretty hilarious stuff, but they definitely have a lot of energy and passion, which is always good. When Sam and I heard their one song, “Earth Is The Best,” we knew we’d discovered something special. The Phenomenauts have toured all over the galaxy, but they wrote a song extolling Earth. ROCK!!! So I bought their album (it technically came out in 2003, which is why I’m putting it on this list) and was a bit worried that their live show wouldn’t be a factor in their studio album. Okay, so there’s definitely something to be said for catching them live, but on disc, I had a much better chance to listen to the songs… And these are surprisingly well written songs. They’re really not like typical bash and slash punk songs. They have good song structure, I think, and I can hear a variety of influences, from the Ventures to the Dead Kennedys. Add to that hilarious lyrics and a passion to bring the FUN back into music, and “Rockets and Robots” is a great album.
“Sumday,” by Grandaddy. This is a great summer album. It’s straight up poppy indie rock at its finest. The first half of the album, while chock full of catchy tunes, any of which could be singles, kind of blends together because they have similar tempos. Seeing as how it’s Grandaddy, that was probably intentional, but I don’t know if that was the best idea. Regardless, good songs are good songs, and the first few songs on “Sumday” are great indeed. The rest of the album was definitely solid, but it didn’t do anything to me to the degree that I’d knock it up to a higher tier.
“The Beautiful Letdown,” by Switchfoot. These guys have been around for several years now, but they’ve only recently been starting to blow up, which is pretty cool. This album is pretty good, but inconsistent. A couple of the songs are awesome, a couple are pretty good, and the rest, I’m just kind of indifferent to. Not that there are any really bad songs, but some of the songs should have been stronger. Overall, I don’t feel this album was as powerful as their prior album, “Learning To Breathe.” To me, this album is the kind of album where I actually use the skip button.
“Backbreakanomics,” by Mars Ill. This is a very cool little hip-hop album in the underground style. It’s got a mellow, kinda laid-back tone of beats, which I like. There are also plenty of weird little sounds (samples? I can’t tell sometimes) and scratches that give it this great sense of ambience. I listened to this album a lot when it first came out, but I haven’t popped it in for a while. It’s time for me to listen to this some more.
Lower Middle Tier
“Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right… But Three Do,” by Relient K. It’s your basic, catchy pop/punk, minus the annoying snotty nasal whine. There’s really nothing particularly groundbreaking or special that I can detect. I just happen to like some of the songs. The first 5 songs in particular, are well-written songs for this genre. As far as this type of music goes, this is quite the enjoyable album.
“Ghosts,” by Sleeping At Last. I first heard of these guys on some website forum because they were apparently discovered by Billy Corgan (he even gets a shout out in the liner notes). Another indie rock band, these guys sound kind of like Coldplay and emo rolled into one. The first like 5 songs are pretty rad, but the rest of the album is kinda forgettable. While you’re listening to it, though, it doesn’t seem that bad because the music itself is just aurally pleasant. But in the long term, not too many of the songs have stuck. These guys are young though, they’ll probably get a lot better in the future.
“True Love Waits: Christopher O’Riley Plays Radiohead.” I’m a Radiohead nut, so I picked this up on a whim. No lyrics or vocals on this, just straight up solo piano jazz renditions of some of my favorite songs ever, like Everything In Its Right Place, Let Down, Karma Police, Black Star… well, look, lots of Radiohead songs rank among my favorite songs ever, so I’ll drop the namecheck. Basically, this all adds up to great studying music. Great melodies embellished with typically complex jazz flourishes with no vocals to distract. I think because everything’s been jazzed down into a solo piano, it’s a bit difficult to actually sit through and listen to the whole thing. Radiohead, Christopher O’Riley is not, but it says on the album title that he’s just playing.
Bottom Tier
“Love,” by the Juliana Theory. Sorely, sorely disappointing. Other than a couple of pop gems (“White Days,” “Jewel to Sparkle,” maybe a couple more), this album just doesn’t compete with any of their previous albums. In fact, most of it is simply mind-numbing.
