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Friday, February 8th, 2008
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2:32 pm - BEST OF 2007
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This is my top picks for 2007:
Best Albums:
1. M.I.A. - Kala
This album makes me feel totally pumped whenever I listen to it. Every time is like the first time. Every track is the bomb track. Every beat is truly original. Every sound is surprising and vivid. It's the most incredibly visual experience that modern sound-technology can create. M.I.A. is the new queen of pop.
2. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
I fell in love with the songs when I saw some early Youtube live videos, before the record came out. I was doubtful that the album (produced by Flood) could recreate what she was doing on stage with just a piano and delayed vocals. But I couldn't have been more blind-sided by this perfect, dark and lovely little opus. It's Neil Young meets Diamanda Galas. And it's PJ's best, even though it's totally different.
"White Chalk" is the best song of the year.
3. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
The solo album by Panda Bear was actually better than the full Animal Collective album. Not by much, but I had to give more props to the true innovation that is contained on this dub-pop masterpiece. Like Kala, this is distinctly visual music for your mind's eye.
4. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
8 albums in, and these bros show no sign of collapsing under the weight of their genius. And in fact they propel themselves beyond the hype and land (yet again) somewhere in the future, sending us this technicolored pop festival via audio time machine. Still the best band in the world, still the best music to take drugs to. The e.p. "Water Curses" is next, due April.
5. Zdrastvootie - |||
My friends are all geniuses! This album is a feast of dark, fleshy emotion. Sexy, terrifying, and organic. Bravo, dudes. And thanks for the LP.
6. Frog Eyes - Tears Of The Valedictorian
An early-year favorite of mine, my enthusiasm has since given way to the other records that dominated the latter-half of the year. But I haven't forgotten the inspired caucophany that this band made on their best album since The Bloody Hand. And that ending is fuckin' epic.
7. Gang Gang Dance - Retina Riddim & RAWWAR
Retina Riddim's one-track sound collage didn't make much sense at first, but subsequent listens have revealed one brilliantly new way to make dance music after another. The movie version is pretty dope as well. RAWWAR, on the other hand, seizes your attention the very first time. It's their most immediately rewarding and intriguing sound to date. And it's pointing this unique band in a totally new direction that I can't wait to hear more of.
8. (tie:) Mammatus - The Coast Explodes & Misty Mountain - 2
YEAHH!! I love my friends so much. Coast Explodes is GODHEAD. The heaviest shit on the planet. And Nicky's Misty Mountain project just gets better and better and better.
9. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
Trance-techno made from tiny fragments of other people's songs. A great idea done perfectly well. Akin to Person Pitch in that respect, but in a completely different mood. Lovely headphone journeys.
10.Radiohead - In Rainbows
Their chillaxed new sound is REALLY not what I expected to hear on this album, but a very welcome surprise. Thom Yorke's voice is so beautiful, and the sound-effects-layering by Jonny Greenwood is a triumph of production.
Other good stuff: Angels Of Light - We Are Him, Wildlife - Six, Denney Joints - Slowdance, Sigur Ros - Hvarf, Amy Winehouse - Back To Black, Daft Punk - Alive 2007, Spoon - GaGaGaGaGa, Beirut - The Flying Club Cup, Neil Young - Live At Massey Hall 1971, Selda - Selda, Grizzly Bear - Friend, The Broads - Joyful Noise, Holy Shit - Stranded At Two Harbors
Best Musical Discovery of 2007:
Razor X Productions - Killing Sound
This also gets me totally pumped. And violent.
Best Films:
1. Black Book - dir. Paul Verhoeven
Better than Hitchcock.
2. Rescue Dawn - dir. Werner Herzog
Better than Apocalypse Now.
3. No Country For Old Men - dir. Joel and Ethan Coen
Violence, money, god, and death in Texas.
4. There Will Be Blood - dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Violence, death, god, and money... in California.
5. The Diving Bell & The Butterfly - dir. Julian Schnabel
Inspirational (but not corny.)
Best Actress:
Carice Van Houten (Black Book)
Best Actor:
Christian Bale (Rescue Dawn)
Best Directors:
Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country)
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(2 gorillas | in the mist...)
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| Friday, August 24th, 2007
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9:40 am - Bonefish!
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| Saturday, July 28th, 2007
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2:24 pm
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Right now I'm house-sitting at gabe's apartment while he's away at Comic-Con. I've been staying here ever since I got back from tour a couple weeks ago. I don't really have anything to do, besides sit around and listen to music and go out on walks. Pretty boring.
The tour was incredible. SO MANY good shows. In fact, the golden ratio was 29 good/great/amazing shows and only 1 bad show (in Mobile, Alabama). A few shows were poorly attended but still so much fun. And being on tour with wildlife was the best idea ever. Those dudes are the straightest, coolest bros I've ever met. Despite some emotional issues they have between each other, they couldn't have been any sweeter to hang around with and play shows with. They have lots of awesome friends all over the country and they know how to have (and make) a good time. They're also the best band. Definitely the best tour ever. Photos should be coming soon from michelle (who went with us for half of it). Seriously accrued some of the tightest memories in the last month and a half.
There is a band that is quickly becoming my all-time most-hated music ever, and that band is THE MOUNTAIN GOATS. Worse than michael franti, worse than ani difranco, worse than CREED!! This band is the absolute lowest of the low. I've known of their existence for quite a while and I hated them from the very first note, but now they're becoming UNGAINLY popular in my circle of "friends" and over-played at work. First off we have a male ani difranco for a singer, but worse. Nasal, unartistic bleating disguised as "singing." By far the SINGLE MOST ANNOYING SINGER IN ANY BAND EVER. It's not even really the BADNESS of his voice that's so annoying (but it is REALLY bad), it's more the ATTITUDE he sings with that makes me want to slap him with every word that comes farting out of his face-hole. it's all like "Listen to me.. I'm sin-cere, and honest, and everything I say is quirky and honest and sincere.. and quirky.. and cute.. because I love you.." Secondly, the lyrics are the most banal, stream-of-lameness bullshit I've ever heard. Basically think of the Ani comparison again, but this time without the semi-redeeming "socially conscious" outlook she has. Just lame, quasi-romantic word vomit without the slightest sense of rhythm or melody. It's hard to describe the badness of the lyrics. It's just a bunch of boring, uninspired observational shit mashed together with out any rhyme or reason. "I was sitting in my house, looking at the table, when I noticed that the table was made of wood, so I walked over and placed my hand on the table, and I realized... that I love you.." Place those elements atop the most M.O.R., unenergetic acoustic pop, stack the songs end-to-end-to-end on albums that seem to go on for eternity, and you have the perfect recipe for TROY'S MOST HATED BAND EVER!
FUCK THE MOUNTAIN GOATS!!!!! FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe they're on 4AD records. BLAHHHHH!!!
for a sample of their shitiness, if you can bare it, see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bSdRizGYb0
and if you actually like this band and want to tell me how much you like them in a comment, prepare to get flamed out like you've never been flamed before. I'm just warning you now. My ire for them is unabatable and REAL. I would like to kill them. THey represent the WORST in ALL MUSIC from ALL GENRES.
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(7 gorillas | in the mist...)
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| Wednesday, July 25th, 2007
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6:41 pm - strawberry jam
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| Saturday, April 14th, 2007
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4:01 pm
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read this.
It's a wonder more fights don't break out here in the library computer area, what with the sketchy sign-up system they've devised. I could have sworn this thuggy over here was about to bash in that old guy's head with his skateboard for not putting a "Computer in Use. Will be right back" sign over his keyboard. sketch.
I'm stoked about Joanna's birthday party tonight. I've got to get my sailor outfit together!
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(1 gorilla | in the mist...)
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| Friday, March 30th, 2007
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9:09 pm
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| Friday, March 16th, 2007
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12:06 pm - My Halloween costume last year...
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| Friday, February 16th, 2007
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4:25 pm
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| Sunday, February 4th, 2007
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3:51 am
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| Sunday, January 7th, 2007
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12:18 pm
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Children of Men is a fantastic and unsettling science fiction movie. It's like a great Steven Spielberg film; intense, enchanting, and brutally personal, but without all the predictable and cloying sentimental hogwash that he would have put into every other scene. Highly recommended and worth every penny of your admission price. See it!!
current music: onemoretime
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(3 gorillas | in the mist...)
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| Saturday, January 6th, 2007
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4:11 pm
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| Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007
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12:43 am - The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
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| Wednesday, December 27th, 2006
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2:47 pm - Shades of White
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Tonight I'm taking a (paid) flight to L.a. so I can go rock out with this band called White. They're a bunch of cool, gay older rock dudes from west holllywood and we met them through our show with Kid Congo Powers (at the Attic). They came up to me after I played with New Thrill and they asked me "do you want to be in our band?" Apparently they were really impressed. Then I saw them play and I was totally swept off my feet. The most classic of classy old-school punk rock and roll. It was exactly what I've always wanted to play, but never had a chance since I'Ve been in this arty-farty gothic retard-rock band. I had to say yes. They're big followers of the Gun Club (hence the Kid connection) and close friends with lots of famous rock idols (especially stephin merritt [magnetic fields] and david pajo [slint]). It's not only a big oppurtunity for myself, but also a great chance to finally get the Parade into the ears of some more influential people. I can't believe I will probably meet Stephin Merritt in the next few days. OH MY GOD!!
so yeah, I'm going there tonight. I'm kind of nervous. We're going to be practicing really hard for the first two days, then New Thrill Parade is driving down for 2 shows opening for White. The first is at Mr. T's bowling alley (on Figueroa) on the 29th. And the second is at a West Hollywood house party on new Year's Eve. I think I'm only going to sit in with White for one of the shows. It's a really big moment, and I'm nervous that I'm either not going to be good enough or that I'm not going to enjoy it and I've wasted these people's time and money. I highly doubt either of these scenarios coming true, but it is still a very big moment for me and I have to play my cards just right. Wish me luck.
-T
current mood:  nervous
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(5 gorillas | in the mist...)
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| Sunday, December 17th, 2006
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6:19 pm - yabba-dabba-do
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| Tuesday, December 5th, 2006
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10:53 am - P.B.
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| Saturday, September 30th, 2006
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1:18 pm
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Updating from my parent's house in Cloverdale, CA. The day is cloudy but I think the sun is coming.
My visit is in tandem with my uncle (my dad's twin), Frank's, visit to California for their shared birthday.
Not much to report. It's a lot quieter here now that Beau and Cowboy have passed on. Only having one dog here is nice.
After 5 and a half years of working at the Food Bin, I'm finally the Produce Manager. But it's only for a month while Taylor is away making money trimming weed. I'll be carrying the full responsibility of the produce department, making $13/hour, and working very long (and early) days. But it's only for a month. Then I go back to my normal, less-responsibility positions. It's a nice feeling though.
I rented a car to drive up here but they were out of standards, so Enterprise gave me a truck. Like a big fucking Ram 1500 4x4 beheamoth, like the one Kristin had. I felt like running over small children when I was driving here. :-P
I think we're going to drive in the truck tonight and find somewhere to eat in Ukiah. It's nice seeing Frank. He's such a kind man.
My parents have a really nice new iMac with the fastest internet connection I've ever seen and I'm hella jealous. AND they have a scanner!
current mood:  nostalgic
current music: WXYC
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(in the mist...)
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| Friday, September 22nd, 2006
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8:57 pm - they found her tu-tu...
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| Sunday, September 17th, 2006
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11:30 pm - ouch
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So this morning I woke up at about 11:20 am and, as I normally do, went directly to the bathroom. I sat down for number 2, and picked up one of the magazines we have in the rack and started reading. I probably wasn't sitting on the throne for more than 5 or 6 minutes, but still it was slightly longer than needed. I must have not yet woken up fully, or I was dehydrated from the night before, or all the blood was cut off to my legs for too long, but anyway, when I stood up I immediately felt light-headed and weak. My face became numb and my eyes became star-spangled and blurred. It came over me fast and uncontrollable, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up, as though out of a long dream, with my head on the side of the toilet bowl and my legs folded under me like a rag doll. At first I didn't realize what had actually happened, my first thought was that I had passed out while vomiting. But I didn't see any puke, only poop. Then I felt how much my right temple hurt, and that my neck and ankles felt violently twisted. I finally remembered what I had just been doing. I had fainted when I stood up from the toilet and fell face first right into the toilet seat with all my weight. The impact from the hit to my head must have knocked me further unconcious, and I was probably sitting on the bathroom floor, motionless, for a couple minutes. When I got up again I felt all the pain and blood rushing to my head. The first hour of pain was almost unbearable. Now my forehead has a giant welt (two combined welts, actually) and it hurts to eat anything or talk (I've barely eaten anything all day). And my neck feels completely whiplashed, like I narrowly missed paralysis. Just like in fucking "Million Dollar baby." God, I am so accident prone! So now my neck is fucking injured again and I'll probably have to take off work again. FUCK THIS! Fuck that stupid toilet. My life is pain.
current mood: pained
current music: who by fire - cohen
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(13 gorillas | in the mist...)
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| Friday, August 25th, 2006
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3:38 pm
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see the descent before it leaves theatres. (but that may be too late)
and when you do see it, stare into the cave rocks as the lights go by them.
that's where it's really scary.
best horror film since blair witch project
current music: crying and screaming
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(6 gorillas | in the mist...)
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| Monday, July 24th, 2006
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3:10 am - scabs and rashes
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We just recieved our cd's in the mail today. We got them from Yes, Seth's friend (her name is Yes), from his house. They look great (the art is fucking gorgeous, but it's a little-teeny-tiny bit too blurry for the logo on the front cover...) and it sounds really really good mastered. I'm so happy and proud you can only imagine. I've been waiting for this moment... for all of my life...
bytheway. Tour is going really really good. Surprisingly good. Shockingly good, and most of the shows have been well-attended, well-played, and well-timed. We're selling merch at a pretty good pace, the people who've never seen us are reacting with an enthusiasm I never expected, and in between it's been nothing but good friends and happy times all day long. This heat wave is getting super-fierce, and I think it's only gonna get worse. It's hard to bear. The nights don't come fast enough. We play boise, idaho in two days. That show will also be great (I predict).
We sold two cd's tonight. One to Hart, and one to Kurt. Get high and listen to our jams, world!! THE TAKEOVER BEGINS NOW!!!!!!!!!!
current mood: hold on
current music: "Helen" by Ariel Pink (playing endlessly in my head)
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(4 gorillas | in the mist...)
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