Day 41-?: Writer's Block (2007) by Peter Bjorn and John, Resurrection (1994) by Common, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) by Kanye West, Crystal Castles (2008) by Crystal Castles, Hot Buttered Soul (1969) by Isaac Hayes, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) by Big Boi

February 20, 2010:


I'm confused as to how to title this post. Technically, it's not day 41-?. And technically, this isn't the first time I've heard these albums. These are actually some of my favorites, but, as mentioned in the last post, I've heard so many random albums and it was so long ago that I can't really pinpoint when exactly I listened to it. But again, this isn't about reviewing music or just listening to new music. It's about whatever random thoughts I've had in the day in relation to the album. 


And I had some random thoughts, but I've forgotten them .


February 22, 2010:


So, this is more of a continuation of a broken post. I haven't really been keeping up the last few days only because of school. I still have been listening to music, but because it helps the whole study process. But I haven't really been writing.  Now, with a small lull between studying, I can finally take a moment to sit and write. 


The funny thing is that once I finally take a sit down, I can't really think of anything to write about. I suppose this is writer's block, which makes it that more fitting that Peter Bjorn and John are on this post. This, however, will not be the segue. 


No, the real issue is writer's block. You ever seen the movie "Stranger Than Fiction?" There's a scene where the author is suffering from writer's block, so she stands at the edge of a high rise building, and imagines plummeting to her death. Granted, that's a little extreme, but there comes a point where something big must happen. 





For instance, a few years back, I took a trip up north with a few of my friends. It was a random turn of events. My boy John one day approaches me and asks if I was doing anything that weekend. I wasn't, and neither was my boy Joe. We all jump in the car, spur of the moment, and drive up to the north. 


The funny thing that we all discovered was that we were all going in search for the meaning of love. Now, I don't mean that in a philosophical manner, but instead on a personal level. My boy and Joe both had "Berkeley Girls" that we felt we need to close the book on, and my boy John and was evaluating his relationship with his girlfriend. 


The point of the story is that we all left Northern California with a more focused perspective on love. Me especially. It was the final chapter to a long, rewarding, yet very painful relationship with a girl I fell for. 


So I decided to write a story.


It's been about three years later, and I'm still working on the book. I'm not saying that nothing of importance has happened in the last three years, but since that chapter of my life is closed, there hasn't been any life-altering moments regarding that aspect of my life since. So the story remains more of a reminder of a past time. I have to elaborate and create the outcome of each of the character's stories out of my own creativity as opposed to from my experience. Now, I know that since the characters are based on real-life counterparts I can base it on our actual lives. But the thing is that real-life is a never ending story, a continuing conclusion and beginning. I can't base it on me anymore because my story hasn't finished. Not with stories. Stories need to begin, climax, and end. 


Anyhow, I'm still working on that book. 


So much for writer's block. I will relate this back to the music mainly because I always felt that music has so much influence on our thoughts and feelings. So, if there's a certain theme or mood that I am trying to convey, I look for music that fits those themes and moods. For instance, for another book I'm writing that deals with a urban dystopian future, I tend to listen to hip hop with menacing beats and bleaker lyrics. As for the love story, a lot of music about love and heartbreak, usually more melodic. 


Anyhow! Sorry bruthas, but I think this is as far as I can go. Time for a nappy nap.


Peace and love, bruthas and sistas. 

Day 40: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco, The Wild Hunt by The Tallest Man On Earth, Fever to Tell by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, xx by the xx, Late Registration by Kanye West, The Suburbs by Arcade Fire, Brothers by The Black Keys, The College Dropout by Kanye West, Attention Deficit by Wale, The Blueprint III by Jay-Z, This is Happening by LCD Soundsystem

George Yameen invited me to appear on his webshow tonight, which means that I have to have something to present. Now, over the last 7 months, there's been a lot that has gone on, none of  which have been my blog. So, after almost half a year, George has brought me to this point and now I am going to begin my blog once more. 


Before I continue this post, I have to mention my boy Ryan, who I've mentioned before as one of the forces in my musical renaissance. Ryan once again has been able to infest my music choices, especially as we worked together in the summer camp and there's little else to do but to listen to music. But in addition to the amazing music that he has given to me, he has also been able to upload music that I cringe to listen to, including Young Jeezy. 


Nonetheless, you never know. There might be some gems in some of the albums. Like I said, it's been 7 months, and in 7 months, my music collection has increased and I've listened to tons of new music. However, I don't really want to go through my ITunes and check the last played over the span of 7 months. It's a lot. All those albums up there? I've probably listened to them over and over and over but not recently. And they are not the only albums I've listened to. 


The only real recent one that I've checked out is the last album, This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem. Now, I don't want to say I have a hard on for LCD Soundsystem, but I have a hard on for LCD Soundsystem. There's a depth to their danceability, and even their funkiest songs can be really melancholic if you listen to their songs. 


But like I stated before, I don't want this to be a review site. All I'm gonna say is that I'm gonna go ahead and give this a go, and try to do it for good. So, let this be my reintroduction to the blog. Welcome back, all 8 readers. I've missed you. 


Peace and love, bruthas and sistas. 

Day 38-39: Led Zepplin I (1969) by Led Zepplin, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) and Fear of a Black Planet (1990) by Public Enemy

Sorry kiddies. I know it's been a while since I wrote, but the last couple days have been hectic for  me. I know, who's life isn't?! Hahaha...nonetheless, it's much harder to keep up with a daily blog when you've been in school and traveling cross two states. But finals are over and I'm settled in beautiful Wyoming, so let's continue with the madness.


But first, a moment a silence for the sorry excuse for a team known as the Lakers...


...


Thank you. And now, here's a picture of breasts.





Sigh...even that didn't cheer me up.


But I'm not gonna discuss the Lakers any further only because it'll piss me off further, and I'm sure everyone has already gone to their blog to vent.  So...that is all I will say...


I do feel, however, that I must discuss the Public Enemy albums. Now, as I've mentioned in the past, I was taking a Hip Hop Culture class this past quarter, but now finals are over. But I seriously can't help but to listen to hip hop much differently than in the past.


I've been hesitant, in particular, with these two albums. I know the hoopla. I know how politically charged they are. I've heard "Fight the Power." And of course...Flavor Flav. 'Nuff said. 


Despite that, I am by no means an expert in Public Enemy. My friend from high school spoke highly of them, but when I bumped a few of their songs a few years back...well...I wasn't impressed. The beats sample heavily from hard rock and metal bands, and the funk samples are distorted to the point where they are no longer funky. Not to mention that there was almost no bass in their jams, and I'm a dude who's first intro to hip hop was G-Funk. Chuck D didn't have the smooth flow that I'm so used to. And, of course...Flavor Flav. 





Hahaha...gotta love the guy. 


I was all about that political agenda in hip hop back in da day. Honestly, I prefer it. But I thought Public Enemy was bland. There sound was almost repetitive and it definitely put more emphasis on lyrics as opposed to beats.


But just like most music that I have in my collection, it begins to grow on you. Or better yet, on me. And fast, too. I seen the rankings of "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." Lots of magazines say its one of the best hip hop albums ever. But I had to check it out for myself.


And what do you know? They're good. They're really fucking good. I love their lyrics. They're so in your face. They take the mic and slap white America in the face with it. Shit, even Flavor Flav gets in the whole business and gets all militant. Terminator X may sample tons of rock songs, but it suits the themes and mood. Chuck D aint bland, he's just direct with his style. These are some bad, mad bruthas. My professor even went as far as calling "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" the greatest PUNK album of all time. GODDAYAM! They were once even labeled the most dangerous band by Rolling Stone. 


And "Fight the Power?" Maybe the greatest political hip hop song ever. You may have your opinion, but rarely will you ever hear another song that is just a foot up the Man's ass as "Fight the Power." Sure, thank Spike Lee, but this song took on a life of it's own. 


And then there's Zepplin. Hahaha...my boy and I, as we drove to Wyoming, discussed our different tastes in music, and Zepplin came up. Now, some people are fans of the Beatles, some are fans of the Who, and then there are Zepplin fans. I am the latter, although much love to the other bands. If I could ever assemble a group of musicians who had the same brilliant goal, I can only hope that they are as good as Zepplin. Jimmy Page is not the greatest guitarist of all time, nor Robert Plant the best singer. John Paul Jones is funky, but not the funkiest. You can debate whether John Bonham is the best drummer ever, but never a definite. Despite this, this was a group of extremely talented musicians who came out of nowhere. I would even argue that, although arguably not the best, they are at least top 5 in their respective instruments. No doubt.


Anyhow, I will be back tomorrow with a new album. Until, be strong, my bruthas and sistas. Enjoy the World Cup and pray for the Lakers!


Peace, bruthas and sistas.

Day 28 to Day 37: A Night At The Opera (1975) by Queen, Peanut Butter Breaks (1994) by Peanut Butter Wolf, Dr. No's Oxperiment (2007) by Oh No, Rubber Factory (2004) by The Black Keys, Word...Life (1994) by O.C., I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You (1967) by Aretha Franklin, 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of... (1992) by Arrested Development, The Grey Album (2004) by DangerMouse, Hit The Floor (2005) by Breakestra, Ready to Die (1994) by Notorious B.I.G., Sound of Silver (2007) by LCD Soundsystem, The Low End Theory (1991) by A Tribe Called Quest, Blood Sugar Sex Magic (1991) by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Unseen (2000) by Quasimoto

And just for shits and giggle...



Whew...sorry 'bout that. I stepped away from my computer for just a moment and, next thing you know, a full 10 days has passed. Holy shit!


Yeah, it's been a few days since I Iast posted, which is what I didn't want to happen. But you know how life gets, with school coming to an end and me going away for a few months. Things get hectic.


But I didn't stop listening to music. I went through quite a few albums but just haven't had a chance to write anything. As you can see from above, I was able to get more albums than anticipated and even get an oldie in there as well. So here's a rundown.


Day 28-30: A Night At The Opera by Queen
Day 29: Peanut Butter Breaks by Peanut Butter Wolf
Day 30: Dr. No's Oxperiment by Oh No, Rubber Factory by the Black Keys and Word...Life by O.C.
Day 31: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You by Aretha Franklin and 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life Of... by Arrested Development
Day 31-32: The Grey Album by DangerMouse
Day 32: Hit the Floor by Breakestra
Day 35: Ready to Die by Notorious B.I.G.
Day 36: Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
Day 37:  The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, Blood Sugar Sex Magic by Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Unseen by Quasimoto


Now that's quite a bit of music. Now, I can't write a lot about these albums in this post, but I would like to mention at least one thing for each one. Think of it as a variety pack. Here goes:


A Night At The Opera: This is for a friend from work who requested I listen to some Queen. This one's for you, Steph.


Peanut Butter Breaks: Got into this through my boy Dom. This is just one of two instrumental albums I heard. If you want laid back, mellow beats, this guy has them.


Dr. No Oxperiment: What did I say? Another instrumental album, but it's cool cuz you can hear some of these beats on other albums like "The Ecstatic" by Mos Def.


Rubber Factory: As with most of our music, I think our tastes shape based on suggestions from friends. My boy Josh from summer camp had a mixtape and I had to steal it. It included this song, so I downloaded the album.


Word...Life: The first song I heard of this album was called "Born 2 Live," introduced to me by my boy Rex. I thought this album was way underground until I realized that the songs that my hip hop professor played in class were off this album.


I Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You: What can you say about Aretha? "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." is still a dope song after all these years.


3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of...: Ooooh. One of my favorite hip hop albums. Got a funky jazz going to it.


The Grey Album: I was a bit of a Jay-Z hater before I listened to this album. But when I first got a hold of this, I thought of him differently as a lyricist. He's pretty sick...but I would still choose Nas. Hahaha.


Hit The Floor: This was a random selection for the day. I got this off a package of all Stones Throw Records. Funk band with a new age feel. 


Ready To Die: Once more, what can I say? Nothin but love.


Sound of Silver: Who says white people have no rhythm? This is a sick album with some bouncy electronic beats. 


The Low End Theory: Ooh. Another one of my favorite albums. Deep, deep beats with Q-Tip and Phife Dawg at their prime. Funny thing is that I preferred "Midnight Marauders" over this one at first, but it just grew on me. 


Blood Sugar Sex Magic: I actually just finished listening to this album. I used to be the biggest Chili Pepper wanna be. Me and my boy Philip almost became a Chili Peppers cover band.


The Unseen: This is all about the voice. His voice is tune a pitch or two and it sounds pretty dope. As a matter of fact, maybe even better than his normal voice.


Whoo...that was good. Anyhow, I think that'll be all for tonight. See you next time!


Peace, bruthas and sistas.

Day 27: Turn On the Bright Lights (2002) by Interpol

Finally have caught back up with the blog. I figured I'd celebrate with a little bit of Interpol.


I'm not gonna lie. I only got this album because "PDA" is such a rocking track on Rock Band 2. For a few months, Tostada, Smash and the rest of our friends were addicted. Me and my boy Daryl would spend hours playing that game. I'm almost positive we've seen the sun rise a few times. 


Eventually we moved on to Gears of War, then Left 4 Dead 2, and then I went on my own with Bioshock 2 and Fallout 3. But I'm in a bit of a video game rut. I bought Batman: Arkham Asylum and haven't finished it yet.


But it seems that now I am addicted to sudoku. Sure, it's mainly a one person game (although, snuggling up to someone close and crunching numbers can be extremely sensual) but I love the challenge. I love logic games and fucking puzzles and brain teasers and riddles and...damn. 


Sorry, I think I'm getting a little carried away. Yes, I must confess, I am a bit nerdy. I like comic books and video games. I take movies too seriously. I plan to name my children after superheroes and, just to top it off, I like to solve math problems for fun. Every once in a while I just sit and unravel the quadratic formula. Basic shit, but I like to know I can still do it.


I'll tell you one thing, though. Nerdiness is trendy now. No one hesitates in claiming nerdiness as a badge of honor. It used to be that we thought this guy was the epitome of nerd. No one wanted to be this guy.



Sigh...another black man in jail.


Now, it seems that we're all nerds. We've reappropriated the term. Being nerdy is a good thing, since it's so distinctive.


Let's really think about what a nerd really is. Comic books? Shit, most of the guys I know like comic books or at least the heroes. Same goes for video games. And movies? Hmmmm...let's see...only everyone! Math may be my one true claim to true nerdiness, but then again, being smart is sexy. Just ask all those girls below, with their nerd glasses. 



I would bang all these nerds.


So if all these things describe nerds, then have we all really been nerds all along? Is an abnormal knowledge of pop culture and intelligence nerdy? Do our hobbies make us nerdy? It really just seems that we all just are claiming nerdiness to distinguish us from the millions other who claim nerdiness. 


If you really want someone who stands out for nerdiness, let me introduce you to the neckbeard.





I didn't know these guys existed before I was introduced to Somethingawful.com. And...ho...ly...shit. You wanna talk about nerd? These guys are the cream of the crop of nerdiness. Ol' great neckbeard...we bow to you.


So...yeah. 


Quite honestly, I really have no idea where I'm going with this. This has been a post of random tangents. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that we're all a little nerdy, but these guys are the epitome of nerdiness. We're all just wanna bes and these guy are the rock stars. Wear that with pride, good sir. You are what we all wish to be.


I don't know how I ended up talking about this, let alone filling a whole post about nerds and the act of being nerdy. I'll end this conversation before it spirals out of control with this picture of a hot girl.





Peace bruthas and sistas!

Comic Book Review: The Dark Knight Returns (February 1986 - June 1986)

Writer(s): Frank Miller
Artist(s): Frank Miller
Publisher: DC Comics


General Summary
The story begins in a Gotham City where Batman is only a memory. He had retired 10 years prior to the beginning of this story and it's implied that he has finally been able to lock up most of his famous villains. Bruce Wayne and most of famous allies are forced to retire by the government, with the exception of Superman, who now works for Ronald Reagan. With the lack of heroes patrolling the streets and most the original villains incarcerated, there arises a new form of villain, more ruthless and bloodthirsty than before: The Mutants. Led by the aptly named Mutant Leader, they begin a crime spree that challenges to send Gotham City in chaos. 


Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is caught in an identity crisis, the grips of his former persona tightening on his weakening will. A man of over 50 years of age, he knows he is no longer at his former peak of human conditioning. Nonetheless, his obsession finally takes over him, and he dons the cowl once more. But now, he realizes that he must match the ruthlessness of this new brand of criminal. 


Recruiting the help of a young girl named Carrie Kelly to become the new Robin and his trusty butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Batman must now use his cunning and intelligence over brute force to overcome this new powerful foe. Add that to the fact that Two-Face and Joker have come out of their comatose states, and we have a Batman who has never faced such odds. 


The story takes place during the 1980s in the midst of growing tensions during the Cold War. Batman battles to protect his city, but might lose to the feuding going on between the Russians and the Americans. He must battle public scrutiny and the government, leading to an eventual showdown with his former partner Superman. A battle between two of the world's greatest hero's  commences, the results which dictate the future of Gotham City.


What I Liked About It
I bought this book while traveling through Utah during one of my summer camp adventures. Up to that point, my only interaction with the book was through a passing reference in a Wizard Magazine where SPOILER ALERT!: Batman beats the shit out of Superman and dies almost immediately afterwards. 


Besides that small instance, I really had very little experience with the writing style of Frank Miller. Miller popularized what was known as the grim and gritty style of comic books. This was great, since it took comic books away from the childlike joke they once were. But then you have such gems such as the garbage Rob Liefeld made. 


Now, usually, I compare the work of Frank Miller to that of Quentin Tarantino's, in which they both share an affinity for ninjas, ultra-violence, and the femme fatale (but in most cases, hookers). Now, this could get repetitive at times, but when Frank Miller came out with this little nugget of greatness, it was refreshing. I loved the artwork, which was chaotic and schizophrenic at times and polished and clean at other times, but it always seemed to match the mood of the story. Also, just the apocalyptic, no-holds bar setting is a nice change of pace.


But the best part of the story is the in depth analysis of Batman's psyche. Batman, by most definitions, would be considered crazy to do what he does. But no one has seemed to question this until Frank Miller. Now we get to see whether he is truly a noble man, or just a man with an itch he can't seem to scratch. Is he fighting this holy war for us, or to relieve himself of demons he can't overcome? And is he justified? Does he really have the right to decide what's best for us? This a theme that ran rampant in the 1980's, where superheroes seem only to be templates for the Man.


Recommendations
Fans of Frank Miller, this is a must. It is his best superhero work, and a classic Batman story. Even the cartoon remade one of its most famous scenes pretty accurately, even down to the character design, some of the lines, and the way they pose the characters.





I would also recommend this to any fans of superhero history. By that I mean those that love to go back and reread the "classics," which would include stories as The Killing Joke, Secret Wars, etc. Just a good history lesson in the progression of the American superhero throughout the years.


Lastly, I would recommend this to fans of Batman. I love Batman, and I think for my status as a Batmanophile to continue, I have to have read this story. It's just a good book with some deeper ideas placed throughout. 

Day 26: Shine Through (2006) by Aloe Blacc, Supply and Demand (2006) by Amos Lee, and Shattered Soul on a Pastel Sky (2007) by Shin-ski

Triple album time! I've really been lagging it on writing the posts recently, although I have kept up with the music. Anyhow, I gotta do one more today and I'll be all caught up again. Let us begin...

Here's a random thought to start off with. In high school, my econ teacher was this fat bastard named Mr. Cesar Fernandez, an all-around douche who coached the girl's high school basketball team. He really hated progressive ideals, liberals, and most of the guys. His likes were food, Reagan, and high school female basketball players. 


So why do I mention this guy? Listening to the Aloe Blacc reminded me of something. We once discussed the consumer's choices in products (I don't remember the technical name, but I blame this on his incompetence as a teacher). He said that he listened to some crappy band he loved but would never go to their shows because he felt live-performances were always distorted and not the same as the album. 


The fucker's now facing statutory rape charges. 





Thanks for destroying the last bit of respect I had for my high school.


Hahaha...but what I really wanted to talk about was live performances!!! Sorry, I know this blog is an emotional roller coaster. I have an uncanny way of segueing from horrible, life destroying topics to what I really want to discuss.


But again, I'm going off topic. The only reason that I want to discuss live performances is because I actually saw Aloe Blacc live at UCI during the recent Urban Arts Festival 2010. Him, Supernatural, and People Under The Stairs were there, although it was supposed to be Zion I. Still, it was a nice surprise.


Now, I don't think you can generalize live shows as all being bad. As a matter of fact, in the last 4 years of my life I've gone to more shows then the rest of my life. The list includes:

• Immortal Technique at the We The People Festival
• De La Soul at the Galaxy Theatre
• Native Guns at UCI
• Steve Vai at The Grove of Anaheim
• Del da Funkee Homosapien at the Roxy
• Freddy and Francine at The Hotel Cafe
• And, as mentioned before, Aloe Blacc, Supernatural and People Under The Stairs at the Urban Arts Festival

I think that might be it. Now, I know that list isn't as long as other people I know, but I think it's enough to decide that sometimes (although not always) live performances are better than the albums. I would say that this would be the case in Aloe Blacc's case.

Now, this isn't a knock on the album. It's got some good songs on it, including a pretty dope Spanish rendition of John Legend's "Ordinary People." As a matter of fact, he has a lot of Spanish songs on the album which make you wanna get up and dance. Pretty interesting album.

But his strength, as I could see, was in his live performances. He ripped it that night, as did Supernatural. I can't say that People Under The Stairs had the same luck. Maybe this is a result of the fact that Supernatural killed it right before they performed and the let down of not having Zion I. 

Still, live performances can't all be placed in the same breath since they're such individual acts. And by individual, I mean separate from other performances. But for the most part, everyone I've seen live has killed it. The passion of making and playing music for a crowd is always appreciated by the V. 

Anyhow, I also listened to Amos Lee and Shin-ski. I began to listen to Amos Lee after hearing a mixtape from my buddy Josh from camp. He had a pretty dope taste in music, so I decided to steal it. Shin-ski was recommended to me by Rex. If you listen to Shin-ski's album, check out "Koyoi" ft. Apani B. Fly. Sick as female emcee, and beautiful song overall.

Anyhow, I wish I could discuss more, but I probably should go do something productive. 

Peace, bruthas and sistas!