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Review: She Wants Revenge’s She Wants Revenge

aresultofboredom.org's music week

Okay, for starters, I hate self-titled albums. They are really, really pointless. I mean, at least artists in other media call their works “Untitled” when they can’t come up with a name that conveys the emotion of a given work. Self-titling is like leaving something set to default that could easily be changed.

That being said, I adore this album from start to finish. It’s become one of the ‘stickiest’ albums in my possession in that I seem to get completely glued to it and listen over and over again. The only comparable music in my collection has to be the works of Chris Corner as expressed by I Am X and the Sneakerpimps. And, as an interesting study of my musical-psychology, they are actually very similarly styled. I don’t know what it is about artists that make synthesizers sound so erotic but they are really all it takes to get me hooked. You may have seen the video for “Tear You Apart,” directed for the band by Joaquin Phoenix. The whole damn album sounds like that video looks: dark, gritty, covered in smeared mascara and incomprehensibly sinister. It’s fantastic!

  • Sounds like: I Am X, The Faint, Depeche Mode…anything that makes you want to take sexy photos while slitting your wrists
  • Favourite track: “I Don’t Want to Fall in Love”
  • Worst track: I can’t really say this even exists on the album
  • Overrated: See above…it’s only a little bit played now, so this might change, though
  • Best surprise: “These Things”

4 stars

I know, I know…

…that this post isn’t music related. But, I had to post this while I was still feeling jovial from what I received in the mail. Volkswagen sent me a card today and it has to be the most adorable piece of customer care stuff I’ve ever seen.

Inside the oh-so-trendy transparent envelope that read “One lump or two?” was a card featuring a classic Beetle with an ice pack. Opening the card, I found a $10 Starbucks gift card (do they know their demographic or what?) and the following copy:

Dear Nicholas,

We heard your VW just visited your local repair shop. Sorry about that. We don’t like it when our drivers can’t be, well, driving. So, to help make up for the inconvenience, we’d like you to treat yourself to a nice Caramel Macchiato with this Starbucks Card loaded with $10. Or cookies. Cookies always make things better. They’re good like that. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 1.800.822.8987.

Your friends at Volkswagen

I defy you to not grin while you read that. I laughed all the way up the stairs from my mailbox. Because cookies really do make things better. And I’ll probably buy them with a latte, because I would anyway. And now it’s easier, thanks to VW. 🙂

System of a Down…

aresultofboredom.org's music week

Seriously, guys…why do you have to be such arrogant assholes when interviewed? I really don’t listen to your music all that often. I mean, there was a time a few years ago when I liked you well enough. “Aerials” had a cool video and was a decent song and “Boom!” fit the political climate perfectly. Then I just kinda moved on. No hard feelings. Tonight, I was watching Fuse while I painted at the coffee table and you were the featured artist on some show or other. I watched the videos I remembered, saw a few decent newer ones and thought “Hey! Maybe I’ll listen to System of a Down again.” Then, I saw Julia, host of Uranium (a stupid metal show) and thought “I have always had a crush on her…let’s just see what this is about.” She was interviewing you in some non-descript hotel room. And that’s when it began…

Why did you have to treat her so badly? Honestly, does it make you feel more important as artists to dodge questions, answer by only saying ‘felatio’ and then to condescend someone who is just trying to help promote you? I mean, if your goal is to alienate people who might possibly listen to your music and try to understand your art, then you’ve done a bang up job.

Just sayin’ that I won’t be listening to you any time in the future, that’s all.

39 Months of Pure Joy…

World, I now present to you Herr Klaus, my sexy new Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 (Value Edition):

I just picked him up today from Central Volkswagen, trading in the well-loved, but increasingly cramped, Helga in the process. He’s “mine” on a 39 month lease, which probably works out better for me anyway, as I’m really not planning on being without a car payment ever and I like having a new car. After my first day of ownership I can compile this shortlist of things that I enjoy about Klaus:

  1. 2.5 litre, 5-cylinder engine @ 150 hp
  2. 6-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic
  3. 10 speaker sound system
  4. four doors
  5. lower monthly payments and lower insurance

Oh, and the name: I wasn’t sure until I saw him exactly what German moniker he’d receive. But, after spending time with him, I definitely got a “Klaus” vibe. Coincidentally – and obviously, if I weren’t retarded – Klaus is short for “Nicholas.” Too perfect.

On vacations…

God, it was incredible to get the hell out of here for just a few days. Now that I have paid time off, I’m taking way more three day weekends. I’m seriously breathless with the joy that was getting away for just a little bit.

I really had a great time with Angela over the last few days. On Wednesday, after getting pathetically lost just a few miles from her apartment, we went to Nifty Fifties for an ultra-unhealthy meal. Then we picked up Adam and James and drove to “The Hook” to laugh at the ghetto-ness and breathe in toxic fumes from the factories. *mmm* Angela and I drank Sparks with the boys when we got back and laughed until 4 AM. Thursday was spent sleeping in, having breakfast at a rad little diner by the train station and then my interview (see below.) Friday was for Tom Jones (imagine the diner in Pulp Fiction), meeting Matt at Acme and general fucking around. I cleaned Angela’s apartment for three hours and then we trashed it by having a little get together after. Finally, on Saturday we decided to drive around aimlessly for about two hours since maneuvering on Baltimore Pike a week before Xmas is a grand idea. Grand. I made James an omlette for dinner and Angela tried to convince me to not leave…or at least not to take Lola with me.

Now I’m back for five days before I head home for ten. I’m locked out of the Studio and working in Rider II instead. Not a lot to do, really. My main question now that I’ve returned is whether it is really all that hard to run a vaccuum or use a broom. On the surface, the answer would appear to be no, but apparently this top-level view is incorrect. All I really wanted was to find that my life wouldn’t be inconvenienced because my roommate moved out. Thanks. 🙁