Music

  • September 12, 2005

    Bloc Party!

    Bloc Party

    The Bloc Party concert in Philly this past weekend was absolutly amazing. After the opening acts, [insert name] was weird and excentric, but got better towards the end. They had one song, Monte Cristo that was really good. I’m sorry I don’t know the name of the band. The Kills came on after that, and I liked them. The girl, though she did kinda look like the chick from The Ring, was totally hot. But then it was time for the main event.
    Bloc Party came on at 10, and went crazy. They are great performers. The light show was great, and the crowd was pretty cool. I didn’t really expect any ‘moshing’ or jumping around, and there was a lot. Everyone just went nuts for Banquet and Helicopter. They played until about 11, and then came out for 2 encores, and ended on The Answer, which was great. I also really enjoyed their performance of Pioneers which is a song I love. If you have never heard of Bloc Party, you can check them out here. Later!

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  • August 28, 2005

    Boys Night Out- Trainwreck


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    This CD…Wow. Some background information: It is a concept CD- it tells a story. About a man who

    “Was plagued by violent nightmares. And one day those nightmares overflowed into reality. He murdered his wife. In his sleep. These people were in love…”

    From the introduction (track 1), it goes right into the dream sequence. From there we go through his trials and tribulations- the murder, getting help, realizing what he has done and how he is coping with it, and how he is healed. Each song sets a different mood that fits how he is feeling. You can hear it in the music. Dreaming, for example, is a chaotic song with a lot of heavy guitar riffs where you wouldn’t really expect them, but they fit. You need to listen through the entire CD, more than once, to get the story. That is what makes the CD amazing more than anything- it does sound good, but it takes you through a progression if you listen. I highly recommend it. This ranks up there with “Best CDs of the Summer.” Later

  • August 24, 2005

    A lot to say


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    • Buy the CD

    It seems like I haven’t posted in a very long time. A lot more than 4 days. Maybe it’s because I have been doing a good amount of stuff to keep me busy. Such as this site, but I will leave that to another day. This post is to tell you about 2 CDs that I have been listening to non-stop. I know I’ve recently got some criticism for my reviews, because I will usually only review good things. But what can I say. I don’t but bad stuff. Actually, that’s a lie- I will review Beck’s new cd a little later, and so far, its anot all that good.
    The first CD is Rufio’s The Comfort of Home. If you like Rufio, you will really like this CD. It starts off exactly like the other rufio CDs, with that kind of punk/emo high guitar riff that goes right into the vocals. The melodies in “A Simple Line” and “Drowning” are incredible and just move you. But through out the whole CD you get a sense like its building up on something more than what you would expect from an Emo band. It’s not something I can really put my finger on, but it will leave you more satisfied than their last 2 CDs.
    As for Fall Out Boy’s From Under the Cork Tree, this is your usual rock album that makes you want to jump around. It’s a fun one to listen to and sing along to, and that alone is worth the CD.

  • June 29, 2005

    The U2 Concert

    Bono

    The culmination of 2 weeks of fun, excitment and some boozing. 12 days after I arrive in Dublin Int’l Airport, 11 days after our first night out, 8 days after Sean’s party, 3 days after I saw the most beautiful country side, after months of waiting, I saw U2. And it was incredible. The stage, the lights, the energy. Bono and the boys know how to put on a show. They came on at about 8:50pm- it was still light out. The opened with Vertigo. They played for about 2 and a half hours. They closed with Vertigo. The middle was a barrage of emotion and music coming both from the band and the audience. Durring Sometimes you can’t make it on your own Bono took his shades off, went off stage, and sang with every ounce of feeling he put into writing the song- everything the inspired him. The cameras focused on him the whole time. You could feel connected to him. He knows what he is doing and that is why U2 is arguably the greatest band in the world. The emotion Bono put into the performance is only comparable to the energy. Durring Sunday, Bloody Sunday and Where the Streets have no Name the crowd exploded in a burst of energy resonating from the stage and the whole place errupted and we sang along with Bono. Durring 2 parts of the show, Bono pulled audience members up on stage- one to give her a hug as he sang to her at the edge of the runway- and one so he could play guitar with them durring one of the songs. 90,000 people witnessed what was probably those people’s lives changing. I mean, how many people can say they jammed with Bono, or Bono sang to you. Only a handful. After the show I was left speechless and breathless- I have never been so exhausted after a show in my life. If you ever get the chance to see these guys live, do not pass it up. Later.

  • May 23, 2005

    System of a Down- Mezmerize

    4.8- An incredible album. Its the normal strangeness of System of a Down that make you wonder “what the hell were they on when the wrote this??” But between the strange lyrics like ‘Jake Girardi’s 10 feet tall’ and what ever he says in This Cocaine makes me feel like I’m on this song, there is the story of a nation divided and their annoyances with government in general. Their rifts paint the picture of the story they tell in their lyrics- whether it be a chaotic, insane sound that portrays absolute anarchy like in Cigaro and Old School Hollywood or a sad scene like in Lost in Hollywood, which has a more toned down sound to it- something darker. With that album, you can tell they are building up to something more- the last song leaves you wanting more, which will come with the second half of the album, Hypnotize- in late fall. Over all the cd is well worth it and I look forward to the 2nd half.

  • January 11, 2005

    Eminem- Encore

    4/10- one for each song that was good. Let me start by saying i am in no way a rap fan. BUT, I was a fan of Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP and The Marshall Mathers show. He did more than rap about drugs, sex, killing, sex and drugs. I mean, he did rap about that, but one or 2 songs on the album isnt bad since most rap songs are about being in a club, for ‘fucking some bitch’. But this time, His songs for the most part are lazily put together just muttering whatever rhymes with the “predominenty” stupid noises he made in almost all of his songs. His style of rapping is different in alot of his songs, but that is not my complaint. Its that he raps about stupid shit, drugs, sex, clubs, shooting. This may have been ok for his first album, but he has grown since then, and we see that in songs like “Mockingbird”, but even that he ruins with the ending. He makes no sense in his songs like “Big Weenie” and “Rain Man” saying things like “Munch a bunch of crunch a munch” and his rant about being gay (rain man). In MM LP he talked about being famous, being there for his daughter, getting blamed for stupid shit. “The way I am” is a great song where he tells it like it is. In “Stan” is another great that i think really reaches out to his fans who take him too seriously. The Marshall Mathers Show talks about going to jail, and everything with his trial and letting Haily down. But this album has no direction, not sense of feeling. There are a couple of songs-
    “Mockingbird”, “Yellowbrick Road”, “Crazy in Love”, “Like Toy Soldiers” (minus those kids singing) that show he did think about the songs. But they are over powered by the stupidity of the rest of the songs, esp. rain main, big weenie, and ass like that. Even the last song, called “Encore” is a club song like “Just Lose It”. Over all, his rhymes make no sense, he focuses more on the beat than the message, and it seems like he didnt try. His tracks are made for club music. Its less personal, and in turn, not good. Later

  • December 4, 2004

    The Trans-Siberian Orchestra

    All I can say is…amazing. The whole night was a great expirience that was well worth the money. They were on stage for 2 and a half hours and completly rocked out the whole time. Some highlights: The bassist had an extreme amount of energy. He didnt speak at all but just the way he played and conducted himself on stage was awesome. The drummer was insane. His 15 min solo was outrageous and he kept going after that. Amazing double bass and a great show. One of the girls- her name is Jenifer, and she had a beautiful voice. Im gonna sound lame, but while she was on stage it was really captivating. One of my favorite parts was the Led Zeppelin Montage they did. They were in the middle of a song when the guitarist breaks out a double necked guitar, walking up to the singer and starts playing Stairway to Heaven. Then, the lights go out, you hear the drummer count it, and the lights come on and they play The Imagrant Song. They were totally rocking out and it was amazing. The light show they put on was great too. At some points it was just shadows rocking out to lazer lights and smoke. Other times, there was just a cave of light around the band members and you could see them perfectly, like they were outlined. All of the group members were masters of their trade and the should was just amazing. Afterwards, we met them, and they are super cool. Definitly an feeling everyone should expirience. Later!

  • November 14, 2004

    HIM/Philly

    It would be a lie, thought not a major one, if i said that this concert was as good as the 1st one. However, This was an amazing trip. Monster Magnet sucked really bad. End of Story. When HIM came on (introduced by Phil and Ape Margera), that opened with Burried Alive by Love, like last time. They played basically the same set of songs, as well as Its All Tears and Love Said No, 2 songs i was really hoping to hear. Whats great about the HIM concerts is that Valo is very off the cuff (probably because he is drunk). He will say whatever is on his mind and

    everything he says is cool. The show was great. Afterwards we waited a little, and met Ape and Phil, and they are so cool. So we left after that cause it was cold and it could only be assumed that Valo and Bam were getting tanked. Today we went to FDR, Bam’s main skate spot in Philly, and phil skated a little. All the pics from this weekend will be up soon, including a couple of good city line photos. Later!

  • October 31, 2004

    The Green Day Concert.

    Billy Joe Armstrong is a fucking god. Just Unbelieveable. Watching Green Day perform live is not just something you can describe using words. It has to be expirienced. Billy Joe knows how to really get the crowd going, and has so much engery. To be honest, I wish the seats were a little closer, but Im glad for the first show i got to see it from up top. I got to see everything that was going on- we could see the band, the nice lighting effects and shit like that. But the highlights: Billy crowd surfing, the crowd involvement, and him calling 3 people up on stage to play for them. This rendered me speechless. I couldnt believe it. Then, Billy GAVE his guitar to the person who played it. FUCK. HE IS SO COOL. They opened with American Idiot, and closed with Good Riddance. Some other songs they played: Jesus of Suburiba, Holiday, Boulavard of Broken Dreams, Longview, Basket case, She (in a row), Brain Stew and Jaded (in a row), Homecoming, St. Jimmy, a couple songs from Kurplunk, and Minority. They also played Shout and We are the Champions. If you ever get the chance to see Green Day in concert, take it. It is like nothing you will ever see. Later

  • October 8, 2004

    The Futureheads!

    This band is really awesome, and its not really the type of music I listen too. They are from britain, and sing happy fun stuff. Songs like decent days and nights, le garage, Hounds of Love and Robot just put you in a really good mood, and the songs don’t get old. I must thank Olenick for introducing me to them because I can’t get enough of them. They kinda sound like the Strokes if the strokes were british, upbeat and acapella- according to mike. I wanna say there are elements of the beach boys in there kinda maybe. And the british aspect of course. But you should def check them out. They are links in Links, and you can listen to the album with their online flash player. Later!