I’ve been listening to the new Liars album, Drum’s Not Dead rather obsessively. At first I just didn’t really get it at all but I wanted to because I loved their first album and really like parts of their second album. Most critics have been mentioning how the album is some sort of concept album about two characters: a drum named “Drum” and a mountain named “Mt. Heart Attack.” Also, apparently the album details some sort of clash between these characters, either a physical clash or a clash of ideals. Since most of the song titles have either the word “drum” or “Mt. Heart Attack” in it, I’d say these conclusions whether they are based on actual critical analysis or press kits, may or may not be right.
I don’t care.
The album is magnificent. From a purely sonic standpoint the album is magnificent. It doesn’t go down easy by any stretch of the imagination but it’s pretty satisfying once it's ingested.
It’s a lot like whiskey. Or Brandon.
Where I really discovered how awesome this album is was in my headphones. If you only listen to this album on a stereo you still may dig it, but the first time you listen to it on your headphones you’ll swear that you’re hearing this album for the first time. It’s interesting because most of the songs are loud, slightly violent and more than a little disturbing but there’s just enough subtlety in the composition of the songs, their placement within the album and their relationship with each other to make the entire experience rewarding.
The key is the very last track “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack.” Sounding nothing at all like anything that came before it, “The Other Side...” is this beautiful melodic (and haunting) ballad that blindsides you with its beauty. So much so that you immediately hit the “repeat” button – not to repeat the song but to repeat the whole album – because, well, you want to make sure you’re still listening to the same album. And that’s where Drum’s Not Dead gets you. Upon the second (and third and fourth) listens that’s when you start to pick up the subtle little sounds hiding underneath the more disturbing dominant ones and the final track doesn't blindside you as much anymore. When you know it's coming it heightens your anticipation throughout the rest of the album. (Oh and this is an album that you MUST listen to in its entirety.)
It’s like Terence Malick’s The Thin Red Line . Amidst all the violence, pain and suffering of war, Malick continually inserted these odd silent moments of extreme natural beauty. I never really got that movie until recently. I hadn’t watched it recently. I don’t think I’ve seen the move but twice since it came out nearly ten years ago.
But I digress. The point is, Drum’s Not Dead is not the easiest album in the world to digest. If you’ll notice I don’t make any comparisons to any other albums and/or bands because honestly, I just don’t know that there are any. I’m not saying there aren’t any, I’m just saying that if there are albums that sound like this then I haven’t heard them. I don’t care though. This is about this album right now. Within the singular framework of this album right now, I wouldn’t go so far as to throw the “masterpiece” word out as so many critics have already done, this is the best album Liars have made in their young career and will probably be looked back upon as one of the best of this year.
I'm booking a flight online. I've found that airfare prices vary widely from site to site.
What are your preferred sites for online travel planning? Help me out, Killoggs, I hate getting ripped off.
I've always thought of it more a clean-up perogative embraced by
others than anything meaningful, as I think it's kind of fun to listen
to the perturbed rumblings of a recently splashed homo sapien female.
Because there's nothing like slapping around in your own warm gunk as
it cools on the blotched flank, back or belly of the recently
sprayed. It's like smacking a pool of thin mud.
So really, why do you want to take that all away?
Chicks, need I be more grateful?
Please be as detailed and frenetic in your, um, answers, as possible.
Alright Killoggs. No temp job today. I promised myself that the next day I had no job I would make it a productive one. (If it were a weekday of course. No Friday doesn't count as a weekday in this world.)
So, my theory is that publishing my goals for all to see will make me more intent on accomplishing them. There is the feeling of satisfaction I will get from reporting on each job completed successfully and also the feeling of failure I will feel for each job not attempted. Encouragement from peers, although I realize this is unlikely, would also be a helpful factor.
So, let's make a list:
1. Go see my agent and drop off headshots. (This will take hours as they are on the south side, which is why it is my main goal and it shortens the rest of the list.)
2. Deposit money in bank.
3. Send of reunion form with check, completely filled out.
4. Get that stuff down to the basement.
5. Finish the laundry.
6. Run or work out.
7. Martial arts class.
Bonus activities!
8. Clean out closet.
9. Make new headshots.
10. Check auditions and agents.
11. Prepare envelops.
I am looking to enhance my boardgame collection. Please recommend me boardgames I don't have.
My current collection includes:
Scrabble (if you have my deluxe edition Scrabble, in the wooden box, let me know, someone borrowed it and now i just have crappy travel scrabble)
Settlers of Cataan + Cities & Knights + 5-6 player expansion
Diplomacy
Risk
Risk 2210
Monopoly
Cranium (just got this)
Battleship
Clue
Solarquest
Space Hulk
Blood Bowl
Chess
Checkers
Trivial Pursuit
Please let me know what boardgames you like, and why. I'll start:
Settlers of Cataan
This game is based around trading and building. You have to construct a series of towns on a board which changes every time. Since each player has different resources, you have to trade to succeed.
Diplomacy
This is a global strategy game, such as Risk, but without dice. Instead, the only way to take over territory (or defend it) is to have the strength of numbers. At the beginning, everyone is equal, so you need to have allies to help you. The game is structured with a "diplomacy" phase where everyone is free to talk amongst themselves, and write down what their troops will do. Then there is a "orders" phase where the orders they wrote down are executed. The fun of the game is - you don't have to write down what you tell your "allies" that you are. You are free to stab people in the back, or convince them to mount an attack they can't win, or say you will defend someone but instead attack someone. Thus, the diplomacy becomes the primary aspect of the game, not the physical board/pieces. Quite fun, this was JFK & RFK's favorite game.
Okay, go to town! Also, consider this an invitation to come over and play board games.
CNet likes the Creative Zen Micro MP3 player almost as much as the iPod. Does anyone have one of these?
After a year and a half of battery decline and trying all diagnostics, my iPod has bought the farm. I know this has happened to other people. Ocassionally, I like to spend money on things that work for more than a year and a half, despite what the gods of marketing tell me to do.
Secondarily, remember Genevieve Jones from Baton Rouge? In case you haven't noticed, she is the new "it girl" in the fashion and arts world. I have already run into pages of photos of her in the NYTimes, The New York magazine, and Vogue. Here's an example from style . The last time I saw her, she was at the Mermaid Lounge with some guy named Huckleberry.
