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Music

Bloc Party’s “I Still Remember” video is out…

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…and it’s actually really good. I definitely agree with most reviewers that it’s not my favourite track on the album (thanks for reminding me it’s available, Dusty!) but the video is a lot of fun. Plus, it’s a happy song and sometimes you need that after a day of making charts of unique client appointments. Trust me on that one…

Le video.

Also out is Kele, the lead singer. And the song is apparently his exploration of his own sexuality and such and such. Overall, not something to get particularly excited about. However, in reading some of the press about the album, the song, his step out of clositude and the band, I did find this disturbing excerpt:

“One of the gay-themed songs on the album, “For England”, is an exploration of bullying which also touches on the death of gay barman David Morley and the sick phenomenon of “Happy Slapping” in which violent acts are captured on camera for sport. Morley’s killers fatally beat him and captured it all on their cell phones. Said Okereke: “The whole idea of happy slapping … Filming you causing pain to someone, for your own amusement – that really repulsed me. That song is about the fear I have about what could happen on a night out. I have the feeling that it’s only a matter of time.”

I demand to live in a world where musical genius is not threatened by fuckwads that bolster their macho egos by beating and killing. Can you seriously imagine being the lead singer of a fantastic band and AT THE SAME TIME worried that each night you spend out celebrating your success could end in your own tragic attack? Gah.

This is why I’m going to be single for a long time…

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I calculated tonight that my music library (4,595 songs at press) is composed of .9% Duran Duran (44 songs.) I don’t know statistics, but I feel certain that three tracks in one hour while on shuffle is kinda significant.

I may be lonely but I have excellent 80s music to keep me company.

Geek 4EVA, bitches!

Delayed wow…

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So, you are listening to Muse, correct? How could you not be…Black Holes and Revelations is probably one of the most epic pop albums ever. If you – for whatever unfathomable reason – aren’t hooked, you definitely need to see this video of their performance of “Starlight” from the MTV Europe Music Awards:

Clickity-click here!

Have you seen something so beautiful? The sheer number of lasers is astounding. LASERS! And the song is gorgeous on top of the theatrics. It’s been circulating on the MTVs that actually play videos, so keep your eyes peeled…well worth it to see this in higher resolution than a piss poor FLV.

Three albums for a rainy Sunday…

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The Flower Book – Emilie Simon: Believe it or not, MTV can actually play good videos…well, MTV Hits, that is. I saw the video for “Flowers” and, being the big stop motion sucker that I am, fell immediately in love. The album alternates between warped lullabies and electronic glitter, all while keeping an air of cool only attainable by the French. Magnifique!

Datarock Datarock – Datarock: Completely and totally the soundtrack of a hipster dance party. Well, at least as I imagine the doucheflakes of Blue States Lose living out a dance party. That shouldn’t be a turn off, though…it’s a really fun album full of semi-electro/semi-scratchy indie pop. And it’s Norwegian! (I don’t know what bearing that has on anything.)

i com – Miss Kittin: She’s lovely. Her music is just as exactingly Euro-beautiful. This album sounds like an art school media project about the Interwebs. It’s tacky and sophisticated all at the same time. If you love beeps, clicks and vocorders, you’re set. And who doesn’t, really?

After the pop culture orgy, I can die happy…

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I went to see Sean Lennon last night at the newly (finally, expensively) renovated State Theatre. He was opened for by some guy named Charles Ramsey who was mediocre and an AMAZING English singer by the name of Kamila Thompson. She doesn’t have an album finished just yet, but you can listen to the tracks in her setlist on her MySpace. She may even add you as a friend. Listen to “Cars” first becuase it’s my favourite…and all the rest are good to, so choose a second track to sample on your own. Imagine her chugging wine from a plastic cup, slurring in her high London accent and being snarky. I’ll wait.

Right…on to the main show. Sean Lennon is kinda like watching Suri Cruise front a band in 20 years…except his parents were actually cool. Or like watching Shiloh Pitt perform…except Sean’s parents weren’t actors. Really, there is no comparison because he’s a pop culture demigod. On top of that, he sounds great live. I’ve been listening to his album, Friendly Fire for the last few days and I’m happy to report that he’s not a studio-only kind of artist. “Dead Meat” and “Parachute” both sounded just as polished live as on the recordings. And the sound: his dad. Basically, he is John Lennon if he would have been alive for the last twenty five years and making music in the same vein as Double Fantasy. What’s even more amazing was that – with the help of clothing, posturing and stage dressing – the late 70s/early 80s reel-to-reel vibe translated into the performance. To completely smother this cake in delicious, delicious icing, Yuka (Freakin’) Honda of Cibo Matto fame was ON KEYBOARDS. *dies as confetti*

I do have to deduct half a point for his occasional meanderings into guitar solos that require amounts of pot adequate for arrest as a dealer. In fairness, I’m sure he’s still contact-stoned from when his dad was alive…

Mutual Smeared_Mascara Makeouts: Divertimento

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div•er•ti•men•to-noun Music. an instrumental composition in several movements, light and diverting in character, similar to a serenade

This time, Dusty and I decided that it would be a lot more fun to take MS_MM in a cheerier direction. Thusly, Part 2 of our “celebrity” playlist is dancier and poppier. Generally, I really like it and I think you will, too.

    The tracklist:

  1. “President” – I Am X
  2. “Ramalama” – Roísin Murphy
  3. “The Prayer” – Bloc Party
  4. “Alala” – CSS
  5. “Map of the Problematique” – Muse
  6. “We Are Rockstars” – Does It Offend You, Yeah?
  7. “Your Body Is My Body” – Ellen Alien
  8. “55566688833” – James Figurine
  9. “A Match Made In Texas” – Her Space Holiday
  10. “Stuck To You” – Hellogoodbye
  11. “Pieces Of The People We Love” – The Rapture
  12. “Close To Me” – The Cure
  13. “New Round” – Beck
  14. “Satin Chic (Bombay Mix by The Shortwave Set)” – Goldfrapp

You can download the tracks for a limited time by clicking right about here. (~67 MB, m4a)

The disc cover can be downloaded in PDF format, too!

Honestly, squirrel, why are you looking so smug?

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An item I forgot to mention!: The name of this design shall henceforth be known as Florence: End of Days, Sunrise. That is all.

Have you ever found yourself sitting on the couch, holding the remote for your televiewer, absent-mindedly flipping through the channels when the thought “see what’s on MySpace” pops into your head? Do your fingers frantically stab at numbers on the keypad before your brain makes the connection that you can’t, in fact, google “Chinese nuclear power” on this device? I’m not sure if this makes me strange, marks me as an interwebs addict or is a sign of what technology should become. Hopefully all three.

In music: Yeah, I’m listening to Ghostface Killah with my over-40 coworker, Brett, in the room. What are you going to do about it? I mean, really.

I wake up
And the day feels
Broken
I tilt my head
I’m trying to get an angle
‘Cause the evening
I’ve always longed for
It could still happen

How do I master
The perfect day
Six glasses of water
Seven phonecalls

If you leave it alone
It might just happen
Anyway

“It’s Not Up to You” by Björk

I think these lyrics are telling me something pretty important. What it is, I’m not sure, but I do honestly believe there is a lesson there and dammit all – I’m fixin’ to learn it! Actually, that’s an interesting statement. I’m also trying to figure out some fundamental things about Nick right now. Chief among these is why I don’t feel like I deserve for anyone to be nice to me. Why don’t I want gifts or help and why can’t I take a compliment? Socially, too, why is refusing a compliment rude if you honestly don’t feel as though you’ve earned it?

Danger: much pondering ahead.

Talked to Lindsie last night and I’m happy to report that she’s doing really well in her new city. I knew there was a cosmopolitan girl in there (probably a Cosmopolitan and a rum & coke, too.) Now, if I could come up with a justification for being her butler in a one bedroom apartment…

Hey, remember that time when I forgot to title my post? Dude…

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What will grow quickly, that you can’t make straight
It’s the price you gotta pay
Do yourself a favour and pack you bags
Buy a ticket and get on the train
Buy a ticket and get on the train

Cause this is fucked up, fucked up
Cause this is fucked up, fucked up

People get crushed like biscuit crumbs
And laid down in the bed you made
You have tried your best to please everyone
But it just isn’t happening
No, it just isn’t happening

And it’s fucked up, fucked up
And this is fucked up, fucked up
This your blind spot, blind spot
It should be obvious, but it’s not.
But it isn’t, but it isn’t

You cannot kickstart a dead horse
You just crush yourself and walk away
I don’t care what the future holds
Cause I’m right here and I’m today
With your fingers you can touch me

I’m your black swan, black swan
But I made it to the top, made it to the top
This is fucked up, fucked up

You are fucked up, fucked up
This is fucked up, fucked up

Be your black swan, black swan
I’m for spare parts, broken up

“Black Swan” by Thom Yorke

Not necessarily my mood, but I still really like this song.

A perceptive moment from an unlikely source…

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My brother, as those who have met him know, is probably not the most emotionally-attuned or insightful of folks. This is his personality and there is really not much to be done to change that. All discussions of it end in “Well, that’s just Nate” including those that involve him as a first-party.

So, this morning on our normally awkward, conversation-less drive in to campus, I nearly fell out of his truck when he turned and said “Nick, I think you might be the man in the box.” and then returned to his non-talking.

I’m the man in the box
Buried in my shit
Won’t you come and save me, save me

[CHORUS]

Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you’ve sewn them shut

I’m the dog who gets beat
Shove my nose in shit
Won’t you come and save me, save me

[CHORUS x2]

“Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains

I’ve never actually listened to these lyrics so you can imagine my shock when not only had Nate listened, but actually made the leap to an interpretation of meaning. Very interesting.

Random thought…

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Self-titled albums: thoughts? I’m of the opinion that they are like a ‘get out of jail free’ card in Monopoly. Something you receive and can hold on to until just the right time. Like when you are abominably stumped as to what to name your record. For instance, The Cure’s most recent album is self-titled. After decades of doing this music thing, they decided that now is the time to call a disc “The Cure?” How unusual.

I know this is pretty much drivel, but it felt like it was of GREAT IMPORTANCE.

In other news, Dave took my phone today with promises of making her a star. He took photos of her to use in some capacity. Tasteful photos? I suppose she’ll need a name other than Nokia 6131. Something with a little more ring to it (no pun intended, though I’ll still take credit.) She kinda looks like she’s wearing a tuxedo, so I was thinking k.d. with intentional lowercase-ness. But maybe something more original? Ideas?