What a douche.

Somebody punch me if I ever turn into "that guy". No, wait! Ow!

Hooray!

This is a really great live performance from David Gray. He is performing my favorite David Gray song, Alibi. Thought this might clear your synth fever from the last video... I didn't realize how utterly cheesy it was. Still, it's a nice song.



Where'd it all go wrong, my Friday night enfant

featured listening nostalgia: Yaz

Or Yazoo as they were also known. My parents were fans of this duo as well as Alison Moyet's solo work. Personally, I admit to some of the songs' catchiness, but the 80's synthesizer sounds were a little embarrassing even when listened to back then. But then again, the eighties were all about the synth, right? This is Nobody's Diary, from Yaz's You and Me Both. Now this song, I can agree with.

Damn this is awesome. Toronto....... hmmmmm

oh, yeah

Fernando Torres finally got his Euro glory! Between the two finalists, I wanted Spain to clinch it. But you gotta respect the Germans' never say die attitude.

Read this Goal.com article, photo credit

This was a good European Cup, all things considered.

weekend swag in review

I bought a few books on Saturday and now I'm out of fresh reading material and I regret not getting a thicker book to get through the week.

Anyway, here are the books I picked up!

I Love You, Beth Cooper, by Larry Doyle
This could again be classified as an impulse buy on my part, mostly because it was placed near the entrance and the cover intrigued me. After seeing on the back cover that Larry Doyle is a former Simpsons writer, and finding the premise to be pretty funny I decided to get it.

The story's about this kid, Denis Cooverman (a classic sendup to those teenage movies of kids with names you can easily turn into nicknames), valedictorian, debate captain and overall nerd to the extreme, and his declaration of love for Beth Cooper, cheerleading captain and girl-next-door (or rather, girl who sits in front of you in class). This declaration of course coming out in Denis's graduation speech in front of the entire school.

This of course sets off a whole bunch of events that take place over the next 12 or so hours, post-speech. It's a classic American high school teenager motif for a movie - naivette from a kid who doesn't get out much meeting the world-weariness of the popular cheerleader, who resigns herself to thinking, "after high school, there's nothing left for me, this is my peak". It's the idea that, even if you get what you wanted, it's not the same image you had in mind, it's not all perfect; there are darker, sadder sides to everyone, even the perfect girls we think we love.

To sum up the book, Denis says, he learned more about high school on graduation night than he did in all those years in school. Beth's response was simple: "You need to get out more."

A good read, one to pass the day with (and not the week. Fuck!)

Wanted (Assassin's Edition hardcover), by Mark Millar, J.G. Jones, and Paul Mounts
Ok, that's not the real cover for the assassin's edition, but screw it, I added it for posterity.

Not much has to be said about Wanted. I got the TPB after seeing the movie, wanting to know what it was based on and seeing how it held up to its adaptation. And I can see the liberties that the filmmakers took with the plot, refurbishing it to the point where the original story is barely there, only using some basic concepts and character names.

First, in the comic? No magic threads, no fate-ordained deaths, certainly no bullet-curving, and no Sloan played by Morgan Freeman. Oh, and Hadi was right, what the hell was up with the whole "Luke I am your fatehr angle"???

There is a main character named Wesley Gibson, and it is about his discovery that he inherited his fathers penchant for killing. But the comic is mostly about the idea that supervillains rule the earth, they have been since1986, and that superheroes have been relegated to retirement homes, urban myths, and comic books ("because who reads comics anymore?", the main villain asks).

One thing that I didn't really like about the comic, though, and this is my only caveat, was the decision to model Wesley after Eminem. Eminem, of all people!! I felt uneasy empathising with that. In that respect, casting James McAvoy was a smart choice.

So is the comic worth reading? Well, it's well written, I like the concept. The illustrations and coloring is top notch. So yes. Yes it is.

Flight Volume Two, various writers
I was so glad to have bought this. There has been no better compilation of fresh talent in comics (in print form) than in the Flight series. I'm still reading through the first few stories here. So far, this is the thickest compilation in the anthology, so that makes me happy.

Come on, when the opening story features a fox playing with a creature that falls from a spaceship and cuts the world in half, how could you not fall in love?

I love this series.






Currently on my wishlist: And Then We Came to the End, by Joshua Ferris, and also The Post-American world, by Fareed Zakaria.

Here's a link to a blog about blogs that don't make it past their first couple of posts. It's a bit disorienting to read people write about "just trying" or "seeing how it goes" and then not following through. These are the equivalent of ghost towns, empty shells and unfulfilled potential.

emptying my camera

Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock

I haven't really mentioned Jimi on my blog, and for that I must do penance. the guy was the closest this world has come to having a real guitar god of immense proportions. Countless people have named him as the best of all time, few deny it. I would have to agree; amongst his peers, probably the best would be Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

Here are (in order) his performances in Woodstock 1969.

Pete Yorn - Sense

good music never gets old, it just ages very well

Sometimes you can tell an album is good based on its consistency in terms of musical style, or the changing musical soundscape that melds well as the stronger sum of multiple excellent parts. I don't want to sound pretentious, because I'm not a reviewer by profession, just a guy that really appreciates stuff that appeal to my tastes, so bear with me.

You begin to realize this sort of thing when you identify with certain albums. This sort of took off rather exponentially in my college years, when I'd have more time to listen. Nowadays it's maybe a bit more difficult with the commercial things, it's easier to identify with hit singles; I guess that's what makes compilations so popular.

A few recent examples would be By The Way, by the Chili Peppers; Speakerboxxx from OutKast's Big Boi (yes); The Forgotten Arm/Lost In Space by Aimee Mann; Fishscale from Ghostface Killah. American Idiot was one of these too, Green Day really hit their best peak with that one. Last year we were treated to Hissing Fauna from Of Montreal, and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga from Spoon. These albums not only served to send a message, but even taken apart, the songs all have something special about them.

Today we are discussing:All Things Must Pass, by George Harrison

This is George's masterpiece, and it was only one of his earliest albums. I guess a lot of this was just the stuff he kept bottled up inside during his Beatles years. The level of maturity in his songwriting and composing is phenomenal. To think that this is a near-30 track album, with all excellent songs, is a testament to his musical genius. This album is also probably one of the top contenders for the highest usage of the sliding guitar solos, but that's just a fluorish he added to add dimension to the music.

A lot of artists try to make up for lack of depth with an overabundance of material on a single album; surely a hit-and-miss approach. As much as I love RHCP, Stadium Arcadium could have excluded a couple of tracks. But there's also some beauty to be found, as a double disc, Ryan and the Cardinals' Cold Roses is extremely well written and compiled.

Listening to All Things Must Pass, I realized that the early 70's and late 60's really were salad days to experiment with various styles. This was the height of psych-rock, with The Who and early T.Rex, and there was the birth of metal and hard rock, with Led Zeppelin. Throughout all this, The Beatles upped their game, releasing Abbey Road, The White Album, and Let It Be, all of them containing some really amazing rock and roll. Things which even held up in today's indie fallout still sound fresh and exciting.


It's from this musical revolution that George Harrison refined his style, and was able to write songs like Let it Down, All Things Must Pass, My Sweet Lord, Wah-wah, What Is Life. Each song on All Things have their own distinct style, opening with three tracks that leave you guessing and wanting more; I'd Have You Anytime, with its distinctive rythm in the chorus, My Sweet Lord, with the haunting, catchy rythm guitar and sliding guitar setting the pace, culminating in an amazing harmony in the final chorus, and of course, Wah-Wah, containg some of the most enjoyable horn sections you will ever hear and a lead guitar that sets an amazing template for the rythm. From there, you're tempted to think, that's it. He saved the best songs for the start.

But that's only where the journey starts. It's from Beware of Darkness that you're taken into instrumental reprises of some of the earlier songs in the album, that you can hear just how intricately layered all the instruments are in each track. After that, you're treated to a little boogie-shuffle on I Dig Love, with some nods to maybe Sgt. Pepper? That's just my interpretation. Which, incidentally segues into Art of Dying, a truly seventies-rock nod, with the bow chicka wow-wow lead guitar.

If you ever need an introduction to George Harrison's solo career before he became a Traveling Wilbury, this is the album for you. Here's a video for you! What is Life; enjoy.

Yeah, I might be going to a different place later this year, so if you were to choose between Toronto and Amsterdam, which would you prefer?

More importantly, which one has a better music scene?

Anyway, it's all up in the air, at the moment, so just pray for the best.

Much love

oh noes!

Germany beat Turkey! 3-2! What a game. Goddammit, Turkey!

Spain-Russia is shaping up to be an awesome match. Can Spain beat the sheer strength of the Russians' persistent attack?? We shall see.

BADLANDS

age = nothing

What is the cutest thing you've ever seen?

This.
beagle beagle beagle beagle bagels

i am at a crossroads here

Wimbledon is blaring in the background as I type this. My heartbeat is pretty steady considering the stress I've put on myself due to a decision 2 months old. as well as a month-old problem. But I remain calm. If things don't go the way I initially planned, at least now I know there's a contingency.

But I remain hopeful for the original plan. That is why they call it a Plan A, isn't it?

But as Demetri Martin would say, "Plan B? Hell no! My plans are numbered"

Hey, does anyone remember that Jean Reno movie? The one in French? It took place in an airport hotel. I can't for the life of me remember the title.

meet me tonight in Atlantic City... beautiful song

I subscribe to Pajiba's RSS for their movie reviews, which, for really piss-poor movies, go beyond and above the line of sufficient scathiness. Basically it's a really awesome site, you should check it out.

Anyway, after reading the review for I'm Through with White Girls: The Inevitable Undoing of Jay Brooks, I am really interested in catching this movie. The premise is deceptively simple - basic rom-com staple, but the story is a bit smarter than that, and the screenwriter has some decent previous work. I am stoked. But I doubt Malaysia will get a wide release of this indie flick. What's a guy to do. Except hope for the torrent to come out? ha!

Current afternoon listening: The collected works of The Boss. Thunder Road and Badlands, here I come..

BADLANDS! WOAH WOAH WOAH

ok

Here's just a taste of the genius of Girl Talk's FTA. This is In Step.



Can you hear the Traveling Wilburys? Anything You Want, it just fits. Nirvana? Really?! Are you fucking kidding me!! OH FUCK YES this is the bomb. Holy shit, I detect a little Ludacris in there.

Now do you understand? Lionel Ritchie and Ludacris blend together like peanut butter and chocolate, with generous drops of honey and almonds. Beach Boys!

This stuff blows me away.

seriously!

what do you get when you combine the Jackson 5 with Queen?

PURE GENIUS that is what you get

I cannot say much about the passing of George Carlin yesterday at the age of 71. What little I know of his standup routine was gleaned from cursory viewing on TV and through the occasional audio quips or YouTube videos. He was certainly an impassioned comedian, one who many claim was controversial in his routines, but managed to tread the line between utter vulgarity and comedic acceptance; those who appreciate his brand of humor are able to see just that- behind the curses lies some really funny logic, and bless them for seeing it that way.

Lord knows there's a lot of people who take things way too seriously.

preliminary listens

Feed The Animals totally fucking trumps Night Ripper. Of course Girl Talk is probably the only DJ who can sample and make amazing pastiches the way he does.

Get the album, let's discuss notes.

New Girl Talk!

Pictured: Night Ripper, only the best background party album ever

Hey, guys, you remember Girl Talk right? He released Night Ripper a couple years ago and totally rocked my summer of 2006. Some folks might not appreciate his style of sampling staple and subtle pop classics and remixing them to form completely new songs, but I invite you to try out the music, see if you like it. It's a little different from the usual rock/indie stuff I'm usually into, but who cares, I refuse to be shoehorned into liking any one particular genre.

The new GT album

The new Girl Talk album is titled Feed The Animals, and is available for download, for any price you will name, here, at illegalart.net. Go, go, get it for free or donate. I'm downloading it now, can't wait to give it a listen.

In the meantime, my good friend Gadir aka Abddu has written a couple of posts regarding Sudanese music that I feel everyone should check out. Click here and here.

Not much for posting today. Spent a good deal of time playing the new golf game for the PSP, it's pretty fun. Also, had to clean the bathroom, seems I am the only one in the house that does that. Damn.

Had a good weekend, though. Lots of football excitement! My God, what a game last night. Russia deserved the win. I wonder where Arjen Robben was, I'm sure he could have supplemented the Dutch attack greatly. Anyway, I doubt whether I'll be watching the Spain-Italy game tonight, too sleepy.

IN MUSIC NEWS I still haven't decided whether I want to listen to the Red album. Instead I am only too happy to recommend Spiritualized's Songs in A & E. It is very fine listening.

Much love.

Turkey! Turkey! Turkey!

C'mon guys, stick it to the Germans! Miracles can happen muthafuckas!

this is why i have faith in humanity

My sister showed me this video she saw on YouTube of some (I think) Korean baby singing Hey Jude. That's right, a toddler singing a Beatles classic. Not just singing it, but also slinging a small acoustic guitar at the same time!

Never mind the fact that not all the lyrics are accounted for, or that the baby's not actually playing the guitar. This is just too awesome not to put on my blog. I would find something to make fun of, but I make an exception for cuteness compounded by love of the Beatles.

To quote my hero, Martin Sargent, this kid is today's li'l internet superstar!



Haha, "make it berrerr.."

How late can a guy get to a party? I am only just getting towards the end of Assassin's Creed and am going to probably finish it tonight or something. Apparently the game is meant to be the first part of a trilogy, and at this point in time I am wondering what additions will be made in future iterations and also what could be added in terms of story.

In case some of you are wondering, Assassin's Creed revolves around a man named Altair, agent of a brotherhood of assassins, who is sent to three main cities, namely, Acre, Damascus and Jerusalem, to eliminate enemies of state and security. The game is set during the peak of the Crusades, when King Richard and Salahuddin were at odds.

Oh, also in case you're concerned, the character is not affiliated with either side; the majority of his targets are actually the Crusaders themselves. Some nice touches are the direct translations of Arabic phrases, such as "peace and safety upon you", and such.

Let's get the things that I like about the game out of the way first. In terms of movement and level design, Ubisoft did a great job designing all the major cities, creating an environment that just invites you to try to reach all the highest points of buildings as possible, and running from rooftop to rooftop (barring an annoying sea mission) feels extremely natural. Climbing up walls parkour style is a treat and never gets old. Best of all, the cities all have their own distinct visual and architectural style, you should see Damascus and Jerusalem, case in point.

Combat is pretty good, I would say. You are given the choice of using your fists, a short knife with throwing blades, and a sword. Fighting mainly consists of holding down the "guard" button, and waiting for an opportunity to strike. However, it reaches a point where when the enemies just start ganging up on you, it gets too damn tedious to fight and time everything just right, forcing you to take blows and hating yourself for putting up with this shit.

Which brings me to a few things which I don't like about this game. For one thing, the combat cab get tiresome, and at later points in the game, the sensitivity level of the enemies alerted to your presence increases, thereby increasing the likelihood of yourself getting into a long, drawn out fight. Annoying!

Another thing I can't stand, and this sort of thing really has no excuse whatsoever of even existing anymore in next-gen games, is the idea that your character dies the minute you step foot into water. That's right, I am expected to believe that when Altair, an assassin of the highest caliber, is incapable of swimming?? Really? That's just lazy on the part of the developers, honestly. In fact, the game would be more enjoyable if we could fully utilize the environment, and not be hindered by it.

But the biggest gripe I have with the game is the repetitive and PERSISTENT nature of the NPC's. Every other 100 meters we run, we have to hear the same shouts of "Please, don't hurt me!", or the furtive cries of some street preacher screaming "A crusade of what? Of ignorance?!". Which is fine, I guess, the first couple of times you hear it, but when that's the ONLY thing you will ever hear them say, then it just gets plain irritating. To make matters worse, we are introduced to NPC street beggars, who will run up to your character asking you for money. I have to give credit to Ubisoft for hiring such competent voice actors, but the more you hear these furtive cries of "But I'm poor and sick and hungry!!", and given the fact that there are actually no controls to give them anything, you just end up having these people stand in your way. Which gets fucking annoying when you have to assassinate someone just..... down.... the fucking..... street....!

By the way, NPC stands for non-playable characters, for the uninitiated.

So there you go!

Some things I hope to see in the sequel would be:

• having the ability to use ranged weapons (crossbows, bows and arrows)
• rappelling/rope-based movement (like a grappling hook [also, not an S & M reference])
• more variety in the fact-finding missions
• maybe have some action sequences set in the present? If you've played AC, you know what I mean, right?

Anyway, I finished Mass Effect, and it was awesome, but ultimately I was a bit let down that there weren't that many planets to explore, and the game did feel a little short, with only 4 or 5 major stages in the story.

If nothing else, if I had only one album I would take with me in physical form, in vynil or cd, anywhere, desert island or solitary trek. I would take this.

The most beautiful harmonies I have ever heard, PERIOD. Seriously, I can't stop listening to this album. Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut is the album to impress anyone with.

My future kids are SO going to hear this everyday...

how much awesomeness can you take

Have you guys ever been to La Blogotheque? It's a pretty awesome website that invites many of the best indie sounds to perform in unplugged and impromptu performances, many of them on the streets, warehouses, or on the subway. Naturally, these are called the Take-Away Shows, and you can find them here. Or, conveniently, their YouTube channel is also available here.

I have to thank my sister Jasmine for introducing me to the site, it is pure, undistilled, powerful, potent awesome. Here are a few of my favorite performances, and trust me, there are many more good ones. Check them out if you are so inclined.

Since Yeasayer was in my last post, here is another great portrait of them. I am putting this up to cheer you up. Even if you don't need to, this will lift your mood regardless. Enjoy; this is "No Need To Worry/ Red Cave".


Woo! Are you psyched? Tell me you are. Here's Vampire Weekend, playing "Mansard Roof":


We want more Vampire Weekend! Here's "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance". Neither do the garbage cans. You'll see.


Too cool. Finally, here is Axe Riverboy and Of Montreal, sort of.

#52.2 - Axe Riverboy vs Of Montréal - Part 2
by lablogotheque

So hey, check out La Blogotheque and the Take-Away Shows, there's something for everybody.

Hey, it's that guy again

Yo amigos! What is up this morning, how are things. Have you heard Yeasayer's All Hours Cymbals? It's a pretty great album, one of the year's best for sure, at least for me. Here's one of my favorite tracks off the album, titled 2080. I hope you're taking notes! You know who you are. Check out the amazing rhythm section for this song, it is that good. I'm putting up two live versions for your enjoyment. And I admit, for mine mostly. The vocals, people! WOOOOOO!!!!!

Also, if you're into trying out something new in a sweet little package that is currently free, I invite you to download Jumbling Tower's new EP, Classic Entertainment! I love it. The vocals are like a harder Destroyer, and the music is reminiscent of Of Montreal, and Modest Mouse, a little Arcade Fire-ish. And maybe a bit of Badly Drawn Boy? I don't know, I'm just name-dropping now. Stupendous. Here is the link, so get it while the getting's good!

I swear this is the shit. It's a short download too, so get to it. Do it, do it.

Much love and music. EZ.

another album from the past

This one is a classic in my book. U2's Achtung Baby is my favorite album from them. Yeah, I know, you all are supposed to prefer The Joshua Tree or any other of their 80's albums. But this one's special, cos like a lot of records, this is one that I grew up listening to pretty frequently (thanks a lot, limited cd collection of my youth!). All killer, baby.

Here's Ultraviolet (Light My Way): PS this song is just joyous to play guitar with, srsly

I remember
When we could sleep on stones
Now we lie together
In whispers and moans
When I was all messed up
And I had opera in my head
Your love was a light bulb
Hanging over my bed

And yes, if you're still curious, Sunday Bloody Sunday still fucking rules.

i don't think i could ever write LOL naturally, ever. not without feeling extremely ashamed or self-conscious, uncomfortable. i mean, really? lol? i know it's cliched and outdated to say how "un-proper/-grammatical" it is to say it, but really? Really?

am i the only one who feels this way? or is this just a sign of the times, they be a-changin'. i am too old for this shit.

i am unbottling, here

Here is your moment of awesome today. It is the Raconteurs performing one of my favorite songs, 5 on the 5.



Takin' time doing it all along! Whoa-oh! Whoa-oohhh!!!!!!

comic recommendation of the day

One of my favorite writers of my post-graduation days is Garth Ennis. He is famous for writing the Preacher series, which I heartily recommend (Jaysis! if you know what I mean...), and also a few Punisher stories, which he made rise to glorious bloody heights. Fuck it, this guy writes ultra violent stuff and makes it seem like the most natural thing in the world. Which, in his stories, makes a lot of sense. See The Authority/Kev series to see what I mean by this.

But today, I am recommending a gem of a miniseries, titled simply 303. It follows the life of a Russian colonel after his team investigates a plane crash in Afghanistan. Events unfold there that reveals American secrets held in said plane, and lead to him heading for Washington on his final mission, armed only with a vintage rifle, the .303 calibre British. The story is brief, only about 150 pages in six issues, with minimal dialog and amazing illustrations by Jacen Burrows. Check it out.

Also! If you're into light-hearted mirth and glee, and robots and indie rockers, and and PIXELS(!!!), then you owe it to yourself to get these free, Creative Commons licensed comic book anthologies of Diesel Sweeties. Go here and download them, and enjoy.

i need new headphones

seriously.

a pseudo-review

Because of my sleep-deprived state yesterday, reading the last few pages of Duma Key was a pretty incoherent process, so I might have to re-read the last 80 or so pages to get the story clear.

Before I enunciate on my King experience, first let me say this: it doesn't matter how long it takes you to get through a book. In some cases, I would blaze through a 300 page novel within a few hours, because I couldn't put it down. In others, I like to take my time, and it doesn't bother me in the least if it takes me weeks to get through it, mostly because it's too tedious to read all 800 to 1000 pages. And frankly, when you're working (ha!) sometimes even the act of reading is a luxury.

Now, then. Stephen King is an awesome writer, nay, he is an institution all his own, almost dictating the contemporary writing scene when it comes to fantasy and horror. By dictating, I am referring to the impact his books have had on other authors, be it in comic book form (The Gunslinger series) or even in others' writing styles or stories. Well, I am not sure about the last statement. Either way, almost all of his 40+ novels and story anthologies have been bestsellers, and most people would be familiar with stories like It, The Tommyknockers, The Stand. And of course, The Shawshank Redemption.

Speaking if Shawshank, I only have one request to all the producers who are looking to adapt any of King's books; Keep only to his short stories! Anything over 200 pages, and it would be hard to translate into a good two hours. Think of all the good Stephen King movies. How many of them are based on his longer books, and were they as good as the ones based on his shorter stories? I'll let you decide.

Anyway, Duma Key. This is the first book that King wrote that takes place in Florida. For those of you who are familiar with his work, you'll find that a lot of his books took place either in Maine (Castle Rock and such), the Territories (Talisman, Black House), the world(s) of the Dark Tower, and a myriad of small American towns (as seen in a few of his Bachman books, and short stories). The change in atmosphere is a pleasant departure here, as we get to experience the life of Edgar Freemantle, a former building contractor who suffers a grave accident at one of his sites, and is forced into retirement to mend his wounds and fractured mind. The choice to move the story to Duma Key, a small part of Florida, is one that is refreshing to me at least. The most sprawling story in terms of scenery though, would have to be The Stand, that shit rocks.

Anyway, Edgar picks up the ability to create spectacular works of art, and the house that he lives in seemingly strengthens his talent. This of course affects his life there and the lives of the other inhabitants who live nearby, setting off a chain of events that eventually explodes towards the end of the book. Whew, long sentence! Anyway, this brings me to a small caveat, one that has bothered me a little, reading the last several Stephen King books. He seems to really spread out the suspense that leads to a story's climax at the end, throwing in a few near-misses here and there in the first two-thirds of his books, and then sets us up for the big showdown in the final third in a blistering change of pace. This formula, while perfectly understandable given the nature of his books, does seem to get a little stale this time around...

But one thing that I have always admired about his writing is his ability to empathize completely with a multitude of character flaws and traits. From his masterful treatment of the subject of undying love and the loss of loved ones, in books like Lisey's Story and Bag of Bones (read this!), to the ambitions and tenacity, and sheer ruthlessness of his heroes (The Dark Tower series), even to the embodiment of youth and its fragility (Hearts in Atlantis, The Body [the story that became Stand By Me], The Talisman), King has proven himself time and again that he can write for any damn character he wants. This time around, in Duma Key, the subject is memory, how it is lost, and eventually found, and the cost that it entails.

In the end, would I recommend Duma Key? Of course I would! But it always helps to know the author's true awesomeness in a lot of his earlier work.

On another note, if there was to be an autobiographical movie about the guy, wouldn't you agree that Ray Liotta would really, really look the part? Maybe it's just me, haha.

I am a few days late to say this, but..

Holland is THE team to beat this Euro 2008. Spectacular.

awesomeness in posts will have to wait

Well, there goes another weekend. Blew it all playing Mass Effect almost all day for the last.. two? three? days. And I don't feel like stopping! It took all my willpower just to get my ass off the living room chair and into my lab chair this morning.

Withdrawal symptoms, people.

I swear, BioWare are a bunch of smart buggers. Smart as in, they make the most compelling story-driven RPG's these days. And it all started with Knights of The Old Republic. You remember that one, don't you? I'm sure my old roommates would know what I am talking about.

Mass Effect plays on what was built 5 years ago and ups the ante by infinity-fold (and that's not even a hyperbole in my book, I have strange standards). Barring a few technical glitches (getting stuck in one area and not being able to move, necessitating a reload, and the graphical pop ups that dot most of the landscapes), this game is near perfect. It's everything I want in an RPG. Action, micro-management that's not too tedious, good voice acting (really good), and a story that rivals any space opera ever, on tv or film.

For reals!

So now you know what's been taking up my time.

Hey muchachos! I am still around, it's good to have you. I have some posts floating, accumulating, percolating. I'll get back to you when they're fully formed.

In the meantime, do yourself a favor and listen to your favorite album again, all the way through. It's always nice to fall in love again, you notice things you overlooked.

Much love. EZ

just looking at the courses i have to take makes me nervously excited... back to studying control systems and numerical analysis, wooooo......

effin' control systems, dammit.

Have you checked out Nedroid before? This guy is quite possibly the funniest, most random cartoonist out there. I love the crazy qualities in each of his strips. Normally they revolve around a bird, Reginald, and his friend, Beartato, a.. bear-potato hybrid. His website is here, where he uploads his drawings. This is his livejournal page.

Nedroid was kind enough to have his "200 comics in 12 hours" submitted to CRACKED's guest columnist segment a few weeks back. Here is the link! Funny doesn't begin to describe the insanity. I love it.

a couple of M83 songs

I would say that I like M83 more than Air or Daft Punk, two more well known acts in the genre. This is "Slowly", from their self-titled album. Wait for the final minute and a half, that's what got me. Awesome.


Up next is the beautiful "Graveyard Girl", from the pseudo-80's themed Saturdays = Youth. The video is pretty damn awesome too.


To my dear friends, hold steady! Everything will be ok. I have faith in you.

Beating the goddamn Monday blues

I personally have nothing against Monday. It's just another day at the lab, where I am given free reign over what I do in a relaxed environment, so I guess that's fair. I actually have quite a few things going for me, and I am grateful for everything. I am pretty sore though, I shouldn't have done all 4-5km last night. Stupid, stupid.

Anyway, right now I am enjoying Paul McCartney's Unplugged (The Official Bootleg), released in 1991. Brother, how I wish I could have seen that show firsthand! This record is unbelievable. Listen through it, and by the time you reach I've Just Seen A Face, you will be hooked.

Other than that, I also listened to Yeasayer's All Hours Cymbals, which is a very powerful album. Quite mood-setting. I love it. Also played Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours and Bright Like Neon Love, but I should have just played something softer.

See, this is what happens when I don't have my good friends around.. I miss you guys. Help me get over this pointless banter, give me real conversation. I'm turning into a tragic blogger, here. Oh, the drama.

Anyway, another Unplugged album I rather fancy is Rod Stewart's, with Ronnie Wood guest-starring. It could be nostalgia talking, there.

My sweet cousin got married today, and it was nice being there.

Fleet Foxes got a damn high 9 on PR. That's not surprising in the least. I love that album to pieces.


I'm going for a run later, so bye.

more old ones from me, the old one

Hi everyone. I am not the biggest Bob Dylan fan, but I listen to his songs on occasion. One of my favorite Bob Dylan albums has to Blonde on Blonde, released way back in 1966. Dylan was actually one of the influences behind the Beatles' decision to focus their songwriting on greater expressionism and freedom. Of course he also indulged in the occasional wacky tobacky with the Fab Four, but never mind that!




Here I present you with one of Bobby Dylan's best songs, from Blonde on Blonde, this is "I Want You". I love this song. Whether I am thinking of someone, or with someone, or by myself with nothing to do, listening to this song always makes me wish I was thinking of someone. Or something. Man what is wrong with me today.

"I am an island, I'm bloody Ibiza!"

Marcus doesn't believe in couples. They're fine and good, but you need backup. In the end, man may be an island, but we all form communities of islands. Our own groups of close family and friends. And that's something Will and Marcus agree on.

If you don't know what I am talking about, and honestly I don't blame you, these days I don't edit what I put up here, I am referring to the wonderfully written book and movie, About A Boy. Both the book and the movie came around the beginning of the new century, and they perfectly set up an allegory about single life and lonely, unfulfilled living.

We can lead busy lives, but if we don't do anything meaningful for ourselves, what are we living for?

The idea of becoming some version of Will, the 38-turning on-40 year old protagonist, single adult life, free of responsibilities like having a job, or a family, or having any long term goals, represents an extreme scenario. How far can we go on living as islands? Being alone is appealing.. you don't have to live up to anyone's expectations, you're not responsible for anyone else's wellbeing, and you can pretty much do anything you want.

But by some coincidence, because of a need to fulfill some desire to hook up with a member of the opposite sex, he joins SPAT (Single Parents Alone Together), meets a beautiful single mom, and makes up a story of having a kid of his own, ends up meeting the kid of another single mom, Marcus, and sets things in motion. Oh man, I'm making a mess of things.

Long story short, Marcus and Will form the unlikeliest of friendships; how many 12 year olds hang out with middle aged men, especially unemployed, spoiled middle aged men? Over time, and after several embarrassing mishaps, they leave impressions of themselves on each other; Marcus gains a little confidence in making friends, and Will learns to appreciate the idea of wanting to be with a woman not because of just wanting to touch her, but also because he just wants to be with her, period, and that would really be enough for him.

It's sweet. And made even sweeter when seen in movie form. I have been mentioning a lot of book adaptations in movies on this blog, but that's only because these are extremely good adaptations, taking the spirit and humor and message of the book and making the movie stand on these, and its own merits. About A Boy is a beautiful, funny film. Badly Drawn Boy did the soundtrack, and it is one of the best movie albums EVAR. Hugh Grant shows that yes, he doesn't have to bloody well star in a romantic comedy every single damn time, and the supporting cast is just unbelievably good.

Get the dvd for this movie, it is so wonderful. Nick Hornby is awesome, and I also highly recommend reading his books, About a Boy being one of them. A Long Way Down and High Fidelity rock pretty damn hard too.

So it seems the likelihood of me leaving in time for August/September is pretty solid.

It's thrilling, this feeling.. now, I really need to get back in shape. Ugh.

Also, if you own a PS3 and are planning to buy the latest Metal Gear game, I am insanely jealous. INSANELY!!! I played the hell out of the last three...! Damn.

going to bed early. in the meantime, here is my latest. i really need to update my editing software.. and skills

Album Of The Day

Pearl Jam's Ten. All killer. The album that launched/spearheaded the grunge/alternative early nineties rock movement, that sadly went over my head when I was too little to appreciate it (I was more of a Nickelodeon kid than an MTV kid).

Standout songs: Alive, Once, Even Flow, etc. Here's them performing Alive.

hit album time, part 1

Presenting Giuseppe Sculli's breakthrough album:
Man, this is too fun. Ok, second take. I could actually see this being an actual album cover. Can you?
This some random shit! Just follow the rules laid out in the previous post and you'll get some crazy album covers... or even band names and covers that actually don't suck... Hmmm.

This is some pretty emo stuff. Komolskaya is a pretty awesome band name, though!

I want you all to participate

Hey, guys. For those of you who have blogs, I invite you to join in this new, fun (I promise!) game. I found out about it when one of my favorite comedy writers, David Wong, put it up on his Cracked blog, and then another awesome guy, Lex Friedman (he of the famous, yet short-lived Week in Douchebaggery), tagged it as well. Apparently, it's been in the PWoT forums for a good while now, so check it out as well, why don't you.

Interested yet? OK, here are the rules!

The first article title on this page is the name of your band.

The last four words of the very last quote on this page is the title of your album.

The third picture shown here is your album cover.

Understood? Awesome. So shall we get started, then? I'll put up my "hit album" in the next post, but I plan on doing this pretty often, it's fun as hell. Consider yourselves tagged, people.

UPDATE: OK, here's an example. Bear in mind that the whole point of this game is randomness! So I would like to present Constitución's classic album, "Confessing Our Parents' Shortcomings".

Ok? Let's see yours!

Here are some comics I have been following the heck out of in recent months:

The Immortal Iron Fist:
After picking up the TPB for the first 6 issues, namely the reintroduction of the Iron Fist, I was supremely hooked on Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Aja's take on this classic 70's kung fu spinoff. They managed to turn what used to be a cheesy exploitative character into a fully fleshed, sensible human being (albeit one with supernatural powers, ho ho). I've read up until issue 15, and I am hoping that the second compilation TPB (trade paperback) comes out soon. I love it when they're hard-bound! Of course, they wouldn't technically be called paperbacks then. Fuck it.

Invincible:
Malaysia's comics scene, at least in mainstream bookstores, is still in terms of mostly DC and Marvel, and I don't really blame them, since there isn't much exposure to Dark Horse or Image, or Top Cow in terms of superhero movies and merchandise. So if you haven't heard of this excellent Image comic, for God's sake, there is no excuse not to read this now! It's still relatively new, only about 50 or so issues in as of now, so there's not too much catching up to do. Long story short, teenager discovers he has powers, his dad's in cahoots with evil galactic empire, there's love triangles. But the writing! The art! This is the superhero comic for the 21st century. Forget Spidey or Supes. You want depth and humor? Invincible has it in spades.

100 Bullets:
I have Hadi to thank for introducing me to 100 Bullets. This series rocks, if you're into hitmen, Illuminati-style plotlines, intrigue and more plot twists than, well. Anything. One thing I love about this series is, like Preacher, the illustrations and writing remain consistent, something hard to find in serialized comics. I'm talking here about the changing of the writer, letterer, illustrator or inker. I appreciate the dedication and commitment the creative team have put into this, and, since the comic is nearing its final 100th issue, I cannot wait to see what goes down!

Y: The Last Man:
This series ended sometime last year, if I recall. Another landmark in serialized, finite storylines, Y:TLM is a series anyone can get into. It's the story of Yorrick, the last surviving male person on Earth (or is he...?), and how he deals with this majority female wasteland that used to be the planet Earth. If you haven't already heard of this series, you'll be glad to know they're planning to turn this into a series of movies, possibly starring Shia the Beef. Best to read the comic first.

So there you have it! Some damn fine comics to keep yourself busy with. The best news is, all of these titles are available at the graphic novel shelves at MPH, Borders and Kinokuniya, so just scout around for the best possible deals you can get. Otherwise, you could always borrow from me, wink wink.

Elliott Smith, Pitseleh

Amazing, amazing song. Just resonates with me whenever I'm feeling jilted or down. You don't need lyrics for this, do you? Oh hell, here they are anyway. What a songwriter. No one comes close to expressing their sadness the way he did.

I'll tell you why I don't want to know where you are
I got a joke I've been dying to tell you
The silent kid is looking down the barrel
To make the noise that I kept so quiet
I kept it from you, pitseleh

I'm not what's missing from your life now
I could never be the puzzle pieces
They say that god makes problems just to see what you can stand
Before you do as the devil pleases
And give up the thing you love

But no one deserves it

The first time I saw you, I knew it would never last
I'm not half what I wish I was
I'm so angry, I don't think it'll ever pass
And I was bad news for you, just because
I never meant to hurt you

Eddie Vedder, No Ceiling

Comes the morning
When I can feel
That there's nothing left to be concealed
Moving on a scene surreal
No, my heart will never
Will never be far from here

Sure as I am breathing
Sure as I'm sad
I'll keep this wisdom in my flesh
I leave here believing more than I had
And there's a reason I'll be
A reason I'll be back

As I walk
The Hemisphere
*I've got* my wish
To up and disappear

*I've been* wounded
*I've been* healed
Now for landing *I've been*
Landing *I've been* cleared

Sure as I'm breathing
Sure as I'm sad
I'll keep this wisdom
In my flesh

I leave here believing
More than I had
This Love has got
No Ceiling

introspective listens

There are times when we find ourselves blessed with a little time to ourselves. Whether it's in your bedroom, or on a train, or a quiet hour at work, it's as good a time as any to whip out the old mp3 player and listen to an album or two. These are the times where it's easy to listen from front to back (sorry, vinyl/cassette times a talkin'), and at times even on repeat. Here are a couple of albums I absolutely recommend for some alone time.

Elliott Smith, XO
If there were any album that was to be a starting point to acquaint yourself with Elliott Smith, this would be it. XO shows Elliott at the top of his game lyrically and musically, and these are the songs I find myself drawn to the most. Bottle Up and Explode!, Waltz #2, Pitseleh.. masterpieces of late 90's indie rock. Do yourself a favor and give this album a shot, you will come out of it wanting more.





Eddie Vedder, Into The Wild OST
I've already gushed about the movie, now let's talk about the album. Sean Penn handpicked Vedder to write the songs to the movie, and the workmanship holds up very, very well with the composition in the movie, it's very seamless. Listening to the album by itself is an experience of itself, Vedder writing and playing all the instruments within a couple of weeks. For his first solo album, this is a good start. My only complaint would be the relatively short length of the album, coming in at only around half an hour. Still, wonderful acoustic guitars, amazing vocals. It's free from the usual Pearl Jam convention, as he explores sides of him we wouldn't normally hear. Listen up until Guaranteed, you'll want to take an adventure of your own.

Also, I would recommend Aimee Mann's Bachelor No. 2, Lost In Space, and The Forgotten Arm. I guess you should listen to all of them, but these three are my favorite Aimee records. I still haven't heard her recent album, for some reason it slipped under my radar! How could this have happened, I ask you.

Love this song. Interpol, Pace Is The Trick

Another tangent post; my friend Adam has an awesome dog. Yeah.

See, this is why I don't need twitter!

Apparently The Orphanage is not that new a movie, but it was only recently released here. If you like a decent scare and child actors who are not completely batshit annoying/pretentious, check this movie out.

I have hopes for you. That you will someday see past the idea of what certain people think of you, or what your short term ambitions are and if people are getting in your way of achieving them.

Things are not as myopic as they seem right now. Time heals wounds. They sting and leave a dull ache, but they're nothing compared to the things you will face in the years to come.

Be friends not because of what you can gain from them, but despite their shortcomings. Nobody's out to get you. You don't have to feel as if you belong to a particular group just because of precedence.

Don't be afraid of looking outside your comfort zone. Surround yourself with good people. Just remember that life isn't about the next fix.

only because it felt right

More of Jon Lajoie's videos can be found here.

where was i last night, damn...

why so serious

Free Hugs!

Dan and Syuhada

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