SHIT

I CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO:
a) Ladytron's new single 'Tomorrow'
There's this really "off" sounds in it that is driving me insane in the best possible way.
b) Three songs off of the Kings of Leon album Only by the Night.
Those three are 'Closer', 'Sex on Fire', and 'Cold Desert'. Quite frankly the rest isn't exciting me as much as I hoped, but I really don't need anything other than those three.

And because the video is of equal impressive-ness:

Ladytron- Tomorrow

Battles' 'Mirrored'

So this past December was a music free for all for me, if I wasn't receiving it I was hunting down elusive albums I had yet to own. But math rock geniuses Battles first full-length LP 'Mirrored' came to me as a gift, one that helped ring in the new year.

Before actually hearing all eleven tracks in their entirety I grew attached to their second single 'Atlas'. And a special shout-out has to go to Timothy Saccenti for his awe-inspiring accompanying video and album cover (he also directed Animal Collective's 'Peacebone', a personal favourite). Then I re-discovered 'Tonto', which was introduced to me by God-knows-who years ago. But hearing the full album (minus the Japan bonus 'Katoman', which I'll find eventually) gives me a good appreciation for what this band can do, and how well they do it. So let's begin.

'Race: In' - Starting off 'Mirrored' is 'Race: In', a kind of "calm before the storm" sort of intro, where it starts out hushed and builds up with cameos of scaling guitars and shrill chirping synth horns, before letting the drums get a bit harder for what turns out to be only a moment. After a while the vocals come forth, simple escalating notes that fall into hums. It's a good song, not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when I think Battles, but it's an enjoyable first look into what becomes a great album.

'Atlas' - This song always strikes me as some kind of evil, not Hitler on steroids evil, the sound is so unique you can't help but hear the warped vocals and thumping drums as some kind of dark chant. Even the lyrics are reminiscent of childhood songs twisted into horror movie anthems. But don't let me turn you away, 'Atlas' is a heart-pumping, foot-moving song, even if you don't realize it. And it only gets better when the sound you got used to drops to a repeating guitar chord, making you wait while it finds new sick notes to play. The chorus will stick in your mind for days, even if you can't understand what Mr. Tyondai is saying.

'Ddiamondd' - I can only describe this as a burst of energy. It starts without warning and forces you to try and understand the hyper-fast vocals, which may or may not be saying what you think they're saying. 'Ddiamondd' survives on short breaths of winding guitar and the clapping of drums, then weaves back into a paragraph of mirrors, prisms, and diamonds. For being the one song with the most diverse lyrics on 'Mirrored', 'Ddiamondd' is an absolute trip.

'Tonto' - I will name this song "Most likely to be used in a western film" for it's growing and ruthless guitar focus, but it stays adventurous and different by adding in the plucking of what you'd certainly guess was some kind of harp or something. But for all it's seven minutes and forty-three seconds it seems like nothing in it's center really happened, only to slowly end as it began. This is the kind of song you're sure to air-guitar no matter what, but it'll also leave a serene, thoughtful impression.

'Leyendecker' - Starting off with simple-yet-sexy pounding drums and barely-there guitar, 'Leyendecker' never really transforms into anything than what it was meant to be, but that doesn't suggest it's not a great listen. The various sounds are a play for the ears, and the elevating vocals that sound like an alternative take on the Chipmunks sound familiar but interesting.

'Rainbow' - The longest song on 'Mirrored' for good reason, there's alot packed in. Like most of the other tracks this one is a kind of buildup; new instruments appear before you could ever get bored of what you were hearing already. It all sounds like a preperation for something great and climactic, and it delivers, but it wasnts you to hold on and enjoy everything Battles has to offer, showcasing a bit of everything. Everything collapses all at once, but instead of going back to what it was it erupts in much louder, ferocious sounds, making way for some majestic vocal-work. 'Rainbow' is both soft and thunderous, like something destructive descending from the clouds.

'Bad Trails' - A little after a minute something strange emerges in 'Bad Trails', do Battles play in aviaries? Who knows, but I love hearing it nontheless. The comforting sounds that make up the backbone of this song are what draw you in, and it stays like that, only allowing other sounds to escalate to certain heights before drawing them back into their roots. It's a devious track, sounding rather toned down to the rest of the album, but massivley different in the sounds it presents.

'Prismism' - There isn't too much to say about 'Prismism' really, it's just shy of playing at an actual minute. You won't really notice it coming after 'Bad Trails' but there's no reason to skip it. Is it necessary? Probably not. Is it a good listen? Absolutely.

'Tij' - 'Tij' is a total ride, there are so many sounds to concentrate on it'll take multiple listens to really discover what you're hearing. The gasping in the background are all the vocals it needs, from the enraging drums to reverse-sounding guitars there's so much to pick apart you really just need to keep in mind it's a fast-paced rock song. Every instrument and sound gets a chance to make itself known, but who can complain when Battles are so good at playing them?

'Race: Out' - Appropriately named, the ending track is without a doubt my favourite piece of 'Mirrored'. It's the end of everything you just heard, but a link to what will come next. It starts off beautifully solemn, like warped voilins playing their last notes. Battle drums follow, growing closer and louder, but before you can get completely used to it the guitar appears out of nowhere striking every pitch imaginable with such speed, soon to be accompanied by furious, melodic drums that don't quit. You'd think, listening to it, that 'Race: Out' would never end, but unfortunately it begins to fade, and an eruption of symbols takes off seconds before departure.


I'd reccomend 'Mirrored' to just about anybody. It's packed with enough sound to make it a permanent member of your collection, but leaves you wanting more. Luckily there are several EP's to hunt down, and seeing as it's been two years since 'Mirrored' debuted I wouldn't be surprised if Battles were working hard on something new to singe our eardrums with.

Sunday Movie NomNom's

So, I should've posted the Sunday Movie NomNom yesterday, as yesterday was Sunday, but some shit went down and I couldn't reach a computer. I know how much you're all living week to week just to read this so I apologize for the delay.

The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola)

Yes, that's right, I'm starting with another Sofia flick. Deal with it. Unlike Marie Antoinette, The Virgin Suicides doesn't really include food as a secondary character, but it's not devoid of it either. Based off of Jeffrey Eugenides' fantastic novel of the same name, The Virgin Suicides is centered around the Lolita-like, blonde Lisbon sisters and their inevitable demise. There is such a normalcy during an early dinner scene and you just want to be there to pass a plate of ham in exchange for peas and mashed potatoes, because it just feels so comfortable. It doesn't get much normal than peas and potatoes people! But don't forget the little basement party the Lisbon parents throw for their daughters in order to get them more acquainted with the opposite sex, back in the 70's soda was pop, so try to find some classic glass bottle Cokes. And of course no party is complete without that giant bowl of punch, with plenty of pineapple juice. Popcorn makes a good, salty party snack to add to the basement bash effect.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry)

This movie is everywhere at once, it's simply complicated, but beautiful, and the two main characters (Joel and Clementine) are very, very human. There is not alot you can do other than sit back and watch everything happen, but when there are moments of rest you should join in by sipping bottled-beer and potentially old Chinese food, like any stable human would. Even if you don't know what you're eating, it's nice to be around people you love when eating it, even if they won't be there forever.

Note: the "Not Your Birthday Cake" is in fact brownies.

Sunday Movie NomNoms

Soooo, I was trying to think of something I could write once a week, like a little something people (or rather I) could look forward to. Then as I was eating breakfast earlier I remembered how much I liked preparing certain foods to certain movies. Not necessarily gimickey cupcakes decorated with the faces of famous film characters, or sushi arranged to spell out a movie title, but food that has some association to the flick that you're watching. I'm not going to give any examples, I've only got a few on my brain at the moment, so I'll start with a few today and follow up with a new one next sunday.

Enjoy!

Marie Antoinette (Sofia Coppola)

If I even need to say what food is necessary with this film then you should just stop reading now. But for those who haven't seen this fantastic movie, CAKE is where it's at. But not just cake, remember that Marie Antoinette was over-indulgent and beyond decadent, so cake, cookies, pies, creme brulee, tiramisu, chocolates, candy, etc. etc. Go over the top and then some! You can find light, pastel-coloured delicacies (pictured above) easily at any grocery store.

I've mostly mentioned desserts here, and for good reason. In the 1770's people ate some busted ass things but the desserts were always ten times more lavish, probably because they tasted better. And you can eat pretty much eat throughout the movie too, there are countless scenes demonstrating just how far they went to present their food. And don't forget the sunny morning breakfast of croissants and tea!

Howls Moving Castle (Hayao Miyazaki)

Everytime I see this movie (which isn't near enough) I have to make eggs-sunny side up-and bacon. If you've seen Castle you can probably guess what scene I'm referring to, where the main characters are cracking open large eggs and laying out abnormally large slabs of bacon into a frying pan. The minute you see it your stomach will growl like a fucking beast. I kid you not.

So of course, eggs and bacon are necessary. But I think breakfast-y foods in general would be fine. Prefer your eggs scrambled? Fine. Want some O.J. to go with it? Knock yourself out. But I'd recommend seeing it with a few people so you can crack open twice as many eggs and fry up even more bacon.

A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick)

You're probably thinking "what the crap? what food is going to go with this, oranges?" but no, I don't think oranges would make much sense other than connecting with the title. Remember the Moloko Milk Bar? THAT'S what I'm thinking of. But maybe not milk, maybe milkshakes, or just milky kinds of drinks. I dunno, I'd just rather have a tall milkshake instead of a tall...milk. So that's kind of a sweeter twist.

Then remember the scene in which Alex is eating a drugged-up plate of spaghetti? Get some noodles and Ragu and make yourself some POISON PASTA. Do it. Even imitate the scene if you feel so inclined. And of course, grant yourself a pretty glass of red wine. Or fruit punch if you're under twenty-one.

Dan Deacon 'Spiderman of the Rings' - Album Review

Alright, so I finally received 'Spiderman of the Rings' in the mail earlier today, and after a few thorough listens I can honestly say that...this is one of the greatest albums I have heard in months. No lie. I was surprised too. I bought it mostly for the tracks 'Wham City', 'The Crystal Cat', and 'Pink Batman', but it turns out that all nine songs on the trendy disk are equally as fantastic.

Dan Deacon, a Wham City (google it, I don't feel like explaining) native has put together one of the most enjoyable things I've ever listened to. Each track surprised me with how different it was from the previous one; cute choruses, overlapping synth waves, and silly (but meaningful) lyrics are a plenty in this album. It's definitely not an album for anybody who dislikes techno, synthy dance stuff, but this is NEW techno-synthy-dance stuff, it's the kind of album you'd say "well I hate so-and-so but Deacon is fucking fantastic."

And I was going to write a regular review based on the album as a whole (I basically started that way) but listening to it and trying to pick which songs to use as examples and which to leave out was impossible, and since there's only nine of them I'm going to write a little blurb about each. Enjoy.

'Woody Woodpecker' - Probably the strangest song you'll hear all year (and next), but also one of the most infectious on the album. As the title suggests, it is most definitely influenced by Woody the Woodpecker, as you'll find out by the nonstop looping of his iconic and slightly annoying catch phrase laughter. It's a pretty simple song, letting the "lyrics" pretty much take over, especially when two sets of the laughter are heard, one being absolutely deepened to a point that it's a little...scary. Weird as all hell, but absolutel fun.

'The Crystal Cat' - My original gateway song that introduced me to Deacon, 'The Crystal Cat' is a song that should be included on every Dance Mix CD from now until the end of time. No, it's definitely not for everybody, people I thought would like it hated it, and people I thought would hate it liked it. But it makes me happy. Everything from the ecstatic, scratchy synth, to the warbled, "what if cats could talk?" lyrics, works, and it delivers one of the danciest singles to date.

'Wham City' - 'Wham City' is to Dan Deacon what 'Time to Pretend' is to MGMT, a not nearly long enough sing-a-long that would fit oh-so perfectly at an end of the world bash. For being an eleven minute song it feels like it ends too soon, and you'll find yourself listening to it over and over because of this; never quite getting enough. The lyrics in 'Wham City' are some of the most nonsensical, and they don't make much sense, but they don't need too. The minute you hear it you'll want to sing along, even if you don't know all the words. The chorus is sung by a chorus, which adds more to the worldly "party to end them all" aestethic. The lyrics I posted days ago are apart of this song and fit very well here, even if it's not too easy to make them out on your own. Seriously take the time to check this song out, you will not be dissapointed.

'Big Milk' - Wow, what a change from the intense three songs that just went by. 'Big Milk' shows that Dan Deacon is capable of making music that not only fuels your need to move but music that relaxes and feels comfortable on a rainy day. It's cute, maybe the cutest song on the disk, and it knows it. The baby-ish lullabye chimes and the pretty xylophone go hand-in-hand for this track, you'll want to lay in bed listening to it and hopefully drift off to the strange planet where it was conceived.

'Okie Dokie' - "I got a rattlesnake gun, I got a rattlesnake gun, I got a rattle snake guuuunnnnn" starts this song, which to be perfectly honest, didn't excite me at first, but as it soon progressed into those kitty/kiddy vocals of 'The Crystal Cat' I knew I loved it already. The chorus rides on until the entire song slows down a bit to catch it's breath, and then back into it's original hook, only more ravaged.

'Trippy Green Skull' - I didn't know anything about this song before I heard it today, which is a shame because it's simply amazing. At it first it sounds like you've left The Omen on in the background, which eerie vocals spooking into your ears. Then more scratchiness as the sound of turntables speak for themselves. But the biggest surprise? that insatiable chorus from Ludacris' 'What's Your Fantasy?' squeaks out, barely sounding the original but some kind of adorable, twisted Dan Deacon cover that I'd prefer any day of the week. Just for that this song get's instant A+'s.

'Snake Mistakes' - A surprising bass/drums centered tune appears in 'Spiderman of the Rings', and it's filled with the silliest lyrics that you can't help but adore. When Deacon says "I hate them bees" you say "I hate them bees!" But the real sweet, smooth, core of the song is what I'll call the Dad Anthem. One of the highlights of the album in general.

"My dad is so cool

he is the coolest dad in dad school

he does not break any dad rules

he would pick you up if i asked him to"

'Pink Batman' - Imagine a Wes Anderson flick, in particular The Royal Tenenbaums, now remember the catchy, romantic, fast-paced, quaint songs he uses? This is like a missing song in the Tenenbaums soundtrack that needed a home. It's hard to describe really, it's like you stepped into France in the 1700's with a synthesizer and started a band with a guitarist, organ player, and harpsichord player (harpsichoridist?), then had to entertain a queen or king while the castle was being stormed by angry townsfolk.

'Jimmy Joe Roche' - Last not but not least, 'Jimmy Joe Roche' is a surprising ending to a kickass album. The repetitive, constantly overlapping noises only needed that signature Fuck Buttons buzz and it would be theirs, but Deacon shows once again that he can switch it up and do something interesting and new. It's vacant of lyrics, and I think if it did have lyrics it would just take away from the droning build up that ends with an abrupt blip, which seems all too cruel to end the album with, but you're still pretty pleased. This song is very heartfelt, you'll remember it long after the disk stops spinning.

~

So, if you find yourself in need of something new to listen to, or just want to add a what should be platinum album to your collection, pick up 'Spiderman of the Rings' by Dan Deacon now! I promise you won't be dissapointed, and if you are? Well...you should have your ears revoked.

Can you guess who? (It's a mystery)

"I hope in my heart that we on a whole

Will die and the earth be left alone

Just beast and bee and fish and tree

This hope I wish will someday be

That bacteria will have ate our remains

That all knowledge of us has decayed

Our burden raised the world set free

The earth returns to land and sea

Our buildings burned and highways gone

I love my friends and everyone

but we've had our chance let's move aside

let time wash us out with the tide"

Who knew I'd already have a new "end of the world dance rave" song to obsess over? If you've already recognized the lyrics then you'll know what I'm talking about. It's long, it's insane, it's dance-able, it's loud, it's a sing-a-long, and i'll clue you in later.