http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7lDaNhR4K4
This is fucking funny. Especially if:
a) you've seen the real promos
b) you're a baseball fan or at least have kept up with the MLB playoffs
c) you acknowledge that Dane Cook is a douche
"They're gonna need more than blankets of small pox, they're gonna need baseball hits."
"Just ask C.C. Sabathia. This C.C.'s not a music factory, he's a pitching factory!"
Really, TBS? Dane Cook? REALLY?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
In Rainbows, cont'd
OK, so we've got context. Now, content. Track-by-track:
1. 15 Step
Strong starter track. Driven by a funk-ish beat, complemented by soulful guitar and bass riffs. Slightly unusual but still Radiohead. Love the random bursts of children's voices. This track reminds me of Incubus' early work on S.C.I.E.N.C.E., kind of like the last minute of "Airbag."
Key lyric: How come I end up where I started?/How come I end up where I belong?
Mood: Confused
2. Bodysnatchers
Right off the bat, scratchy-metallic. Without a doubt, the most upbeat, angst-ridden track on the album, set up perfectly by 15 Step. Refreshing to hear one loud song on this album--it won't get louder than this. But it's not angry. The scratchy guitar-percussion duo, paired with Yorke's screechy vocals, drive the song. A perfect late-night-driving-too-fast tune.
Key lyric: I have no idea what I'm talking about/I'm trapped in this body and can't get out
Mood: Anxious
3. Nude
And then we arrive here. Fundamentally opposite to Bodysnatchers. Begins with Yorke's shrill "ooohh"-ing in the background, accompanied by grandiose strings. A gorgeous pairing. The strings, the slow, steady drum beat, and Yorke's sleepy mmms and ooohs create a very mellow, sepuchral atmosphere. Beautifully produced.
Key lyric: Now that you've found it, it's gone/Now that you feel it, you don't
Mood: Resigned
4. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
What's most note-worthy in this song is the bridge/transition from the first half to the second. The constant, electronic-synthesized beat ceases suddenly; only one noise resounds. It sounds like an electronic bell kit of sorts, and the notes just jump around on the bells one after the other during this 40 second-long transition segment. When the song enters this section, you feel like you've just dived into a pool. The bells are like water droplets bouncing off each other inside your ears. And everything seems to calm down for a minute; excluding the water noise and Yorke's voice, there's a tangible silence. Exquisite.
Key lyric: Your eyes/They turn me/Why should I stay?
Mood: Explorative
5. All I Need
Simplicity is key on this album. This track is simple, but still goes somewhere. It builds until there is palpable desperation in Yorke's voice. This song feels like home to me. Very familiar, accessible, relatable. So apparently Radiohead isn't try to alienate all of us anymore, which was never a problem really (exception: Hail to the Thief), but nevertheless it's refreshing to be able to relax and just enjoy the music without having to put so much thought into it all the time. Without having to analyze and find hidden meanings and metaphors. All you have to do to enjoy this track (this whole album, really) is to just sit back and relaaaaax. Chill. And everyone can relate to these lyrics. I mean, hello? Unrequited love, anyone?Key lyric: I am all the days/that you choose to ignore
Mood: Pleading
Critique on the second half coming soon...
In Rainbows
As we all know, the new Radiohead album, In Rainbows, came out in digital form this week. Of course, I had pre-ordered the download and literally yelped with glee when I received the e-mail with the DL link late Tuesday night.
Admittedly, I was skeptical of this album. With all the hype from the website and not knowing when it would come out and all of a sudden everyone could pre-order it (potentially for free) and get it 10 days later...it all seemed a bit fishy to me. And very rushed. It came out of nowhere; a pleasant surprise, without a doubt, but still out of nowhere. Hence my trepidation. As much as I wanted to hear new material from them, I wouldn't trade immediacy for quality. Ever. And I, along with other Radiohead fans, expect nothing less than perfection from them. Especially given that it's been 4 years since Hail to the Thief.
All of that said, I must say, this album is far from a disappointment. It wasn't exactly rewarding on the first listen, but it doesn't require a whole lot of patience to wait for it to pay off. It gets there after the third-ish listen. It takes a few listens because it is, for the most part, ambient in sound and smooth in texture. The sounds aren't controversial, strange, or even loud, so they don't demand your immediate attention. At first, the songs all sound the same. That worried me. But then, after several more listens, I became able to differentiate among them and to appreciate the smooth, hypnotic flow of the album.
Most of the album is comprised of previously unreleased tracks that most (devoted) Radiohead fans have already heard performed live. Some of the track names have changed several times before now ("Nude" was once "(Don't Get Any) Big Ideas"), some of them are the same ("Videotape"). There are a couple of new ones, like "Bodysnatchers" and "Faust Arp". But for the most part, this album is not brand new material. I knew that before it came out, and I felt unsure about it. I worried that this album would feel like a disjointed compilation, the songs in no real order, just a bunch of old tracks they stuck together out of lack of creativity. And I couldn't help but think, I've waited this long and all I get is a compilation of songs I've already heard? No surprises (OK Computer pun?) No excitement? Bummer!
Yes, I did think such things. Why I questioned Radiohead's artistic skill and integrity, I don't know. Alas, I had nothing to worry about. First of all, this is not a compilation of live tracks. These are studio recordings. And some of these songs are old, it's true. But that just means that Radiohead's had YEARS to perfect them. Which means that this album is the product of years of work. Which, I realize now, is actually more impressive than putting out an LP of totally new material. As opposed to an all-new album, Radiohead's put together their best stuff, material they introduced into their arsenal years ago and have since pulled out again and again to revise, edit, improve, finally put together cohesively on In Rainbows. Which means that this album has been a masterpiece in the making for nearly a decade. Impressive? Yes.
I'm certainly impressed. This album is not what I was expecting. I had unrealistic hopes at first of another OK Computer. But OK can not and should not ever be duplicated, even by Radiohead. That would be boring and stagnant. It does seem that this album is a natural progression and maybe an improvement from Thief. This album is like Thief minus the angst and the tension. Thief tried, I think, to include too many different sounds, which I think made it just a hair short of perfection. In Rainbows doesn't make that mistake - the flow is incredible, the sound is just gorgeous, it's effortless. Sometimes I do wish for a bit more angst, more buildup, rising tension, explosion. But I can get that from OK Computer and Kid A. That's not what this album is supposed to do, so I shouldn't expect that from it. I think I'm able now to appreciate the album for what it is, and it truly is a unique addition to Radiohead's repertoir.
I'm not disappointed.
Admittedly, I was skeptical of this album. With all the hype from the website and not knowing when it would come out and all of a sudden everyone could pre-order it (potentially for free) and get it 10 days later...it all seemed a bit fishy to me. And very rushed. It came out of nowhere; a pleasant surprise, without a doubt, but still out of nowhere. Hence my trepidation. As much as I wanted to hear new material from them, I wouldn't trade immediacy for quality. Ever. And I, along with other Radiohead fans, expect nothing less than perfection from them. Especially given that it's been 4 years since Hail to the Thief.
All of that said, I must say, this album is far from a disappointment. It wasn't exactly rewarding on the first listen, but it doesn't require a whole lot of patience to wait for it to pay off. It gets there after the third-ish listen. It takes a few listens because it is, for the most part, ambient in sound and smooth in texture. The sounds aren't controversial, strange, or even loud, so they don't demand your immediate attention. At first, the songs all sound the same. That worried me. But then, after several more listens, I became able to differentiate among them and to appreciate the smooth, hypnotic flow of the album.
Most of the album is comprised of previously unreleased tracks that most (devoted) Radiohead fans have already heard performed live. Some of the track names have changed several times before now ("Nude" was once "(Don't Get Any) Big Ideas"), some of them are the same ("Videotape"). There are a couple of new ones, like "Bodysnatchers" and "Faust Arp". But for the most part, this album is not brand new material. I knew that before it came out, and I felt unsure about it. I worried that this album would feel like a disjointed compilation, the songs in no real order, just a bunch of old tracks they stuck together out of lack of creativity. And I couldn't help but think, I've waited this long and all I get is a compilation of songs I've already heard? No surprises (OK Computer pun?) No excitement? Bummer!
Yes, I did think such things. Why I questioned Radiohead's artistic skill and integrity, I don't know. Alas, I had nothing to worry about. First of all, this is not a compilation of live tracks. These are studio recordings. And some of these songs are old, it's true. But that just means that Radiohead's had YEARS to perfect them. Which means that this album is the product of years of work. Which, I realize now, is actually more impressive than putting out an LP of totally new material. As opposed to an all-new album, Radiohead's put together their best stuff, material they introduced into their arsenal years ago and have since pulled out again and again to revise, edit, improve, finally put together cohesively on In Rainbows. Which means that this album has been a masterpiece in the making for nearly a decade. Impressive? Yes.
I'm certainly impressed. This album is not what I was expecting. I had unrealistic hopes at first of another OK Computer. But OK can not and should not ever be duplicated, even by Radiohead. That would be boring and stagnant. It does seem that this album is a natural progression and maybe an improvement from Thief. This album is like Thief minus the angst and the tension. Thief tried, I think, to include too many different sounds, which I think made it just a hair short of perfection. In Rainbows doesn't make that mistake - the flow is incredible, the sound is just gorgeous, it's effortless. Sometimes I do wish for a bit more angst, more buildup, rising tension, explosion. But I can get that from OK Computer and Kid A. That's not what this album is supposed to do, so I shouldn't expect that from it. I think I'm able now to appreciate the album for what it is, and it truly is a unique addition to Radiohead's repertoir.
I'm not disappointed.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Songs of the Week
1. Jens Lekman, "Sipping on the Sweet Nectar"
One of my favorites from Kortedala.
2. Fiery Furnaces, "Here Comes The Summer"
Give it some time, and this song may make my all-time faves list. We'll see if it has the longevity.
3. Animal Collective, "Winter Wonder Land"
The only Strawberry Jam jam I've been able to jam to while eating jam in the traffic jam. Jam!
4. Camera Obscura, "Come Back Margaret"
Saccharine.
5. Samberg/Armisen/Levine/Gyllenhaal's facial hair, "Iran So Far"
And Iran
Iran so far away
Is your home
But in my heart you'll stay
The song is actually quite catchy. Damn that Adam Levine. I'm sure he had a hand in it. Anyway, we've all seen it. But here it is, for those of you who have been living under a rock:
Iran So Far
That's all, folks!
One of my favorites from Kortedala.
2. Fiery Furnaces, "Here Comes The Summer"
Give it some time, and this song may make my all-time faves list. We'll see if it has the longevity.
3. Animal Collective, "Winter Wonder Land"
The only Strawberry Jam jam I've been able to jam to while eating jam in the traffic jam. Jam!
4. Camera Obscura, "Come Back Margaret"
Saccharine.
5. Samberg/Armisen/Levine/Gyllenhaal's facial hair, "Iran So Far"
And Iran
Iran so far away
Is your home
But in my heart you'll stay
The song is actually quite catchy. Damn that Adam Levine. I'm sure he had a hand in it. Anyway, we've all seen it. But here it is, for those of you who have been living under a rock:
Iran So Far
That's all, folks!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Songs of the Day
1. Jens Lekman, "Your Arms Around Me"
Still obsessed. Oct. 9 = buying CD; Oct. 23 = concert
2. Jose Gonzalez, "Teardrop"
A Massive Attack cover. Greatness.
3. Jill Scott, "Hate On Me"
That's right. This bitch can SING.
4. Iron & Wine, "Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car"
Getting into Sam Beam for the first time. He's new to me, and I like it.
5. The Besnard Lakes, "Disaster"
This is really the song of the week for me. It's on repeat.
Still obsessed. Oct. 9 = buying CD; Oct. 23 = concert
2. Jose Gonzalez, "Teardrop"
A Massive Attack cover. Greatness.
3. Jill Scott, "Hate On Me"
That's right. This bitch can SING.
4. Iron & Wine, "Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car"
Getting into Sam Beam for the first time. He's new to me, and I like it.
5. The Besnard Lakes, "Disaster"
This is really the song of the week for me. It's on repeat.
Young Talent
I want to know where the hell all of this young talent is coming from. It's crazy to me that there are kids writing movie scripts at 13 years old. I mean, of course these scripts are silly, but the fact that 13-year-olds have the creative gumption to invent a script, even if it's ridiculous, is just amazing to me. You know what I was doing at 13? Writing notes to my BFFs with Gelly-Roll pens and going ice skating on Fridays.
Let's take Michael Cera, for example. He started acting very young, doing random spots on Disney shows and such, then he landed a role on Arrested Development when he was 15. That role was like a launching pad for his career. This summer, he starred in the comedy of the year, Superbad. He also became famous in the online world for his short, comical webisodes which he wrote, produced and directed with his buddy Clark Duke. The "Clark and Michael" chapters came out before Superbad, but didn't really get noticed until after the movie released and people started wondering who the fuck Michael Cera was. Now, thanks to Superbad, Clark and Michael's site is getting a hell of a lot of hits. Pretty good timing for Duke-despite his role as an extra in Superbad, he was an otherwise unknown before "Clark and Michael" - props to Cera for attracting attention (and for bringin' in the bacon). And now Duke's booked a lead role on the ABC Family drama "Greek."
So I'm not sure if these guys got really lucky, or if they're super talented, or if it's a little bit of both. Probably the latter. The point is, Michael Cera is 19 YEARS OLD. He's younger than me. And he's acting, writing, producing...it just seems extraordinary to me. On the other hand, I feel a know a couple of Michael Cera-like individuals. He reminds me of the guys I knew in high school who were always making goof-off short films, music videos, funny websites, etc. Those were the cool guys at my high school. Correction - not necessarily "cool" in the chick magnet kind of way, but these guys were definitely the class clowns. I also knew a couple girls like this. Frankly, it's the computer-electronic media-dorks who can do all this cool shit. One of my friends from high school now has her own weekly radio show and works for the radio station at her university. WTF? 20 years old.
Maybe our generation is useless in a lot of ways. There's a lot of dead weight, unquestionably. But when I hear about people my age who have accomplished so much, it's like damn, some of us really are clever sons of bitches. The fact that there are people my age, even younger, like Cera, who have shown so much promise and have already made names for themselves, well, it makes me think that we can do a whole lot more than we think we can, if we just put forth a lil' bit of effort.
And goddammit, that Cera is a funny bastard. So if you're one of 3 people in the country who still hasn't seen Superbad, go see it. And if you haven't checked out Clark and Michael, here's the link:
Clark and Michael
So go watch it. And go do something productive, for the love of God. If these kids can do it, surely you can.
Let's take Michael Cera, for example. He started acting very young, doing random spots on Disney shows and such, then he landed a role on Arrested Development when he was 15. That role was like a launching pad for his career. This summer, he starred in the comedy of the year, Superbad. He also became famous in the online world for his short, comical webisodes which he wrote, produced and directed with his buddy Clark Duke. The "Clark and Michael" chapters came out before Superbad, but didn't really get noticed until after the movie released and people started wondering who the fuck Michael Cera was. Now, thanks to Superbad, Clark and Michael's site is getting a hell of a lot of hits. Pretty good timing for Duke-despite his role as an extra in Superbad, he was an otherwise unknown before "Clark and Michael" - props to Cera for attracting attention (and for bringin' in the bacon). And now Duke's booked a lead role on the ABC Family drama "Greek."
So I'm not sure if these guys got really lucky, or if they're super talented, or if it's a little bit of both. Probably the latter. The point is, Michael Cera is 19 YEARS OLD. He's younger than me. And he's acting, writing, producing...it just seems extraordinary to me. On the other hand, I feel a know a couple of Michael Cera-like individuals. He reminds me of the guys I knew in high school who were always making goof-off short films, music videos, funny websites, etc. Those were the cool guys at my high school. Correction - not necessarily "cool" in the chick magnet kind of way, but these guys were definitely the class clowns. I also knew a couple girls like this. Frankly, it's the computer-electronic media-dorks who can do all this cool shit. One of my friends from high school now has her own weekly radio show and works for the radio station at her university. WTF? 20 years old.
Maybe our generation is useless in a lot of ways. There's a lot of dead weight, unquestionably. But when I hear about people my age who have accomplished so much, it's like damn, some of us really are clever sons of bitches. The fact that there are people my age, even younger, like Cera, who have shown so much promise and have already made names for themselves, well, it makes me think that we can do a whole lot more than we think we can, if we just put forth a lil' bit of effort.
And goddammit, that Cera is a funny bastard. So if you're one of 3 people in the country who still hasn't seen Superbad, go see it. And if you haven't checked out Clark and Michael, here's the link:
Clark and Michael
So go watch it. And go do something productive, for the love of God. If these kids can do it, surely you can.
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