Tag: #Import 2025-04-25 15:23

give people what they want in lethal doses

‘It’s true that Challenger may be the collaboration of two Milemarker members, Al Burian and Dave Laney, but in no way does this qualify as a one-off or a side project. This is the real thing, an entirely new and separate entity from their mother project, which is known for its gloomy electro-rock.

“Give People What They Want In Lethal Doses” aligns itself with Fracture- and Lifetime-era hardcore, and is inspired by the likes of Husker Du, with a twist of insatiable Against Me!- or Piebald-style tongue-in-cheek wit.

The guitar work is replete with heaviness and takes the main stage in the mixdown. Sometimes minimal bass work, and virtually no synthesizers, can be found on this recording.

Punchy punk such as this has been known to border on the generic, depending on how well the musicians in question can pull it off. Well, Challenger ably pulls it off but, as insurance, they catch you with their lyrics. Rap song-style lines and references like “Can I kick it?,” “It’s not about the money,” “Bling bling” (or at least that sounds like what they’re singing), “Throw your hands in the air” and the catchy chorus “It’s all right if you want to spend the night” pervade the album. Such elements make Challenger much more listener-friendly than Milemarker.

Laney states that a lot of musicians have been mastering the art of writing slow, sad songs. So, it probably seemed natural for him to flex his versatility muscle and take the songwriting style in which he has been pigeonholed and throw it out the window.

Many artists may find themselves in a bit too comfortable or conservative a position to want to start over from scratch, but Laney and Burian show no hesitation on this debut. A confident level of familiarity backs each track of the record, the true test of multi-leveled musicians.

Challenger fluidly writes within the boundaries of three or so minutes while still retaining the full impact of more drawn-out songs. As opposed to the blah nature of many other contemporary musicians in this category, the band has scrutinized the most nebulous details. In addition, they capitalized on their latent songwriting talents while still managing not to take themselves too seriously – something that cannot be taught but can only be learned through experience. Thank Milemarker for that.

http://www.cockeyed.com

‘Talk about a man with an overactive imagination and too much time on his hands. That is Rob Cockerham, creator of Cockeyed.com. Think of him as a cross between Mr. Wizard and MacGyver, except younger and a lot more fun.

This site filled with self-described harmless pranks, experiments and a whole slew of trivial pursuits.

Let’s start with the immature stuff first. One of the many lists compiled on this site is titled “13 Naughty Food Items.” There’s a male and a female diagram pointing out the biological parts to which the snacks refer. The list includes: Cock Soup, Erectus, Super Titi 33, Under Horny Cream, Donkey Balls and more.

Naturally, this was the first part of the site that grabbed our attention.

From there, we checked out “12 Pranks.” On a dessert menu outside of more than a handful of McDonald’s, Rob deemed it necessary to alter the apple pie advertisements. With the assistance of various Adobe programs, he added the unknowing endorsement of American Pie star Jason Biggs. In another prank, a fake sign was made that stated “Buy 2 Get 1 Free.” The sign was installed at a busy shopping center with numerous stores and featured a spinning arrow. As a result, every time the arrow moved, it offered the special from a different store.

The two most interesting and well-thought-out subsections of this site are “How Much Is Inside? Adventures” and “Science Club Presents.”

“How Much is Inside?” takes commercial products from Sharpies to shaving cream to a Chevy Trailblazer and determines various aspects of the contents’ worth. The Sharpies test figured out how many CD labels it would take to empty a Sharpie marker. The shaving cream test determined how big a pile of shaving stuff a container could make. The Trailblazer, well, that’s a different story.

As a part of a contest Rob and pals tried to deduce how many “76” Antenna Balls could be stuffed into a Trailblazer. To make a long story short, lots of cheating occurred and the whole episode ended with some car keying. Check out the site for the entire amusing tale.

Science Club Presents is equally playful, tackling topics like Tampon Research and Hot Pocket Dissection.

http://intuitor.com/moviephysics

‘On this site, some of the top-grossing movies of the past decade have been reviewed from a scientist’s perspective. The reviews are written, for the most part, in laymen’s terms and are easy to understand. What they say are usually simple common-sense evaluations (aside from the occasional complex mathematical equation) but the average moviegoer probably does not think of movies from this perspective. In addition, we enjoyed the site because it made us feel more like a member of the intellectually elite community.

The most attractive reviews on the site are the big sci-fi names: “Star Wars: Episode I,” “A.I.,” and “The Matrix.” They provide a good example, not only for what you’re getting into when you read these reviews, but also what you’re getting into when you fall prey to Hollywood’s bright lights and special effects.

The review of “The Matrix” is cynically berating at points, but it also acknowledges the loopholes and outs set up by directors. The reviewer allows the Hackers to escape the laws of physics, but mere humans have to obey the laws. After working smoothly around the escapes from logic the Wachowski brothers built into the film, the article has this to say about the computer power problem in the movie:

“To cover itself, the movie throws in a quick mention that the human energy source powering the machines is combined with a source of fusion. This is like getting on a 747 and having the captain explain in great detail that the plane is rubber-band powered, then add that it also has four jet engines. Guess which power source gets it off the ground, duh.”

The whole Intuitor.com site is an impressive wealth of information. It is a good educational resource. The Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics page is the most eye-catching subsection of the site because it combines insult with intellect. As Zadie Smith writes in her first novel, “White Teeth,” “Can’t say fairer than that.”

Ohio, Instrumentals and biscuits

‘Ohio is not exactly a hotbed of entertainment these days. Sure, they’ve got The Black Keys and Drew Carrey, but what else of note has sprung up from this concrete paradise?

Besides a slew of interesting state laws, including the illegality of getting a fish drunk and forbidding women from wearing patent-leather shoes, Ohio harbors something special, a band that may just prove to be music’s most well-kept secret. Somewhere in the streets of Kent, The Six Parts Seven was born. They, unlike most other rock-inspired groups, have chosen to silence their voices in order to empower their instruments.

“Kent is a really good place for music,” said Tim Gerak, one of three guitarists in The Six Parts Seven. “Not many bands seem to make it out of there but I think that’s because nobody is trying to be ‘that band.’”

Straying from the beaten path of “that band” can be a slow and steady course, especially for an instrumental group, but they will not be deterred that easily. Their perseverance and natural penchant for musicianship has brought them, and The Black Keys, out head and shoulders above the rest of what the state has to offer musically.

As a matter of fact, the two bands just released a self-titled, split EP. In addition, T6P7 recently released “Lost Notes from Forgotten Songs.” The album is a tribute that has been paid to the band. Various artists reworked a collection of the group’s songs and added vocal components to them. It just goes to show you that sometimes it is not about success; it is about respect.

To Gerak, that respect may have been commandeered by the group’s tightness and instinctual abilities to know what to do when and when not to do it.

“We’ve really been lucky because everybody in the band knows when to play and when not to play,” he said. “We try not to over- or underdo it.”

This is especially difficult for them since the band has three guitarists. Intertwining seamless guitar parts can be a laborious task that, fortunately, has yielded positive results for them. They’ve got their methodology down pat and can stand up to any challenge.

A band that walks away from convention has additional obstacles to overcome in order to be successful. They need to not only add multiple dimensions to their songs, but they need to find a way to make them accessible to the listener. It’s a paradox; you need to be complex while simultaneously being simple.

“It’s tough because people have to look into the music a little more,” he continued. “Once you’re into it, though, it’s easier to put something on that sets the mood rather than something that tells a particular story.”

Gerak believes that listening to instrumental music is often easier for him. It allows him to interpret a song any way he wants, including the ability to write his own vocals to a tune. This is something he hopes fans can do with his band’s songs as well.

One overwhelming task the band has had difficulty escaping from is superficial comparisons. They feel like they get lumped into a category in which they do not belong.

“It gets frustrating to get compared to the same instrumental bands over and over again,” admitted Gerak. “We don’t sound anything like a lot of bands we get lumped in with. It’s just that people have no point of reference. There aren’t a ton of instrumental bands out there.”

One way that they may be able to overcome this is with their live shows. Seeing the band live in concert will further prove that they have little in common with the likes of Tristezza or Mogwai. Fans will also be treated to Southern hymns, one of which is even about biscuits. This singing is courtesy of new guitarist Mike Tolan and new lap-steel player Ben Vaughan. They both sing in other projects and have taken to writing hymns that they belt out in between songs from the band’s set.

Chris Rock once said in his tune “No Sex in the Champagne Room” that there ain’t nothing wrong with cornbread. Well, there ain’t nothing wrong with songs about biscuits either.

the creek drank the cradle

‘Perhaps it is just the power of suggestion, but this album seems like the perfect accompaniment to a relaxing night at home with a bottle of wine. “The Creek Drank the Cradle” fulfills the promise of all the songs-for-love-making infomercials. It is soulful and honest in all of its bare-boned qualities.

Sam Beam’s Iron and Wine is an authentic reproduction of early 20th century folk and blues. It is minimalist in its approach, providing finger-plucked guitars, blurred and slurred vocals, and the occasional banjo and slide guitar. “The Creek Drank the Cradle” transports you to a riverside front porch somewhere in the south. It is hard not to picture Mr. Beam sitting there on the porch in cuffed overalls and bare feet.

Even the recording has a live feel to it, filling the speakers with the trebly screech of finger slides and the warm hum of an empty room, which can only be produced so well through lo-fi four track recordings.

This AM radio favorite is already working its way into becoming a classic in its own rite. This album would fit perfectly in with the “Down from the Mountain” group inspired by the making of “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Iron and Wine is an ode to an America long forgotten. Walking in the footsteps of Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, and Alan Lomax, Sam Beam’s debut record is a rarity in today’s music market. It humbly reminds the listener of simpler days and ways, a root, which David Bazan seemed to originally be taking Pedro the Lion.

When all is said and done, Sam Beam may be one of the only people left today making true American music. His songs are constructed in basic blues formulas with well-done overdubbed harmonies that further warm up the sound of the album.

On such a fluid and welcoming album, each song stands well as a whole, or on its own. Overall, though, the two best songs on the album would have to be “Upward over the Mountain,” and “An Angry Blade.”

the long goodbye

“This album is somewhere in between 10,000 Maniacs and the Counting Crows. It’s early- to mid-’90s pop that makes everything seem carefree and all right. It sounds like the soundtrack to a fun modern musical. It’s the kind of music that makes old people dance weird at social functions. For the rest of us, it’s just relaxing and uplifting. High points: Great music to use as an escape. Low points: Makes you wonder where Natalie Merchant is at when you need her.”

(the ep)

‘From Cap’n Jazz to Joan of Arc to American Football and now to Owen, Mike Kinsella has been stripping away layers of music – and band members – with each successive recording.

Mike, the Kinsella brother buried a bit back in the shadows, has full reign over Owen, his solo project. And, to be honest, living behind Tim Kinsella may have had some psychological effect on his craft. It can be argued that his work is the inverse of Tim’s, an attempt to counterbalance their styles. Where Tim is tangential, Mike is linear; when Tim screams, Mike croons lightly; as Tim builds, Mike breaks down.

His is a different ray of the spectrum.

Make Believe, Tim’s new band, is a foray into the younger, wilder days of his punk roots. Owen, on the other hand, could be considered singer/songwriter, if the genre did not have such negative connotations attached to it. Guitars sweep in and quietly disappear. The drums crescendo and pause. Mike’s sweet and sullen voice is the focus of this record. It crackles a little, but that only adds more warmth to his tone.

During the album, he even gives a direct nod to Tim. It’s at this point that it becomes clear that he is not in the shadows by accident. This is where he feels most comfortable. He comes, he sings, he leaves. End of story. No point to draw it out or draw attention to himself. It’s the “if-this-affects-just-one-person” syndrome.

the power out

‘Pick a language, any language. French? You got it. German? No problem. Spanish? Consider it done. It’s hard to find a tongue that Electrelane does not utilize on “The Power Out,” their sophomore release.

To top it off, many of the foreign languages portrayed on this record serve as “dedications” of one sort or another. “Oh Sombra!” for instance, is a poem by Spanish writer Juan Bosc?n. “This Deed” is a direct quote from Nietzsche’s “The Gay Science.”

The word smarmy comes to mind. So do the words pompous, arrogant and self-righteous. Electrelane comes off as intelligent for the sake of showing off; independent for the sake of being trendy.

The lyrics that have actually been penned by the band belong to one Verity Susman. Sure, Verity. Was that your parent-given name? Really? What a coincidence! Mine was Ubi Ubi Sub Ubi.

Ahem. There’s a little Latin humor for you folks.rnrnCreepiest song on the album: “The Valleys.” The harmonies of the male choir are just too much to handle. After a good twenty or so listens to this record, making it through this song once is still an improbable task. It is not what you’d expect from a project Steve Albini touched.

The lyrics of this song are taken from a poem as well. Big surprise, right?

Once beyond the unctuous nature of this record, “The Power Out” lends itself to catchy Euro-synth beats and melodies. A simple pop record hides beneath the demeanor of pseudo-sophisticates. If it is possible to separate the songs from the air they give off, this will be an enjoyable record.

For fans of record-shop employees, martini-party ambience and hip diner waitresses – a phrase applicable only in the greater Denver area.

http://www.urbandictionary.com

‘It’s back to school time, kids, and that means one thing: you’ve got to be up on the latest slang, fo’ shizzle.

Of course, people are concerned about sporting the latest gear and being the most fashionable, but appearance will only take you so far. After you make your grand entrance, at some point you will have to enter a conversation. If you have yet to comprehend the latest Snoop Dogg or Eminem lyrics, you might find yourself behind the times. Some might say that’s “whack,” but, come on, that expression is so 15 minutes ago.

What better way to be down is there than to prove that you are up on the most recent jargon? So, let UrbanDictionary.com be your friend.

This site will let you search definitions by either name or category. It also offers a list of the most frequently searched words. Since the definitions are user submitted, you can add a new word or add a definition to a preexisting one. This way, the terms stay fresh and the definitions can be constantly updated.

The structure of this site does have its downside, though. Immature visitors to UrbanDictionary.com seem to have a tendency to create numerous synonyms for words such as breasts, sex, and semen. Everybody’s a comedian. Very few are actually funny, though.

At times, you may have to wade through the crap and through the nonsensical words to find what you want but, as of now, it’s the best site on the Internet that will give you a better understanding of slang terminology. So, unless you know the D-o-double-gizzle personally, this is the way to go.

the ugly organ

‘”Yeah we all know art is hard,” screams Tim Kasher on “Art is Hard,” Cursive’s first single off of their newest album, “The Ugly Organ.” Yet, they make it look so easy.

Well, it looks easy if you cast aside the fact that this full-length included Kasher’s collapsed lung, the looming shadow of the success of “Domestica,” a new-ish member, two new instruments, one of which is such a dissonant “ugly organ” that it makes Stravinsky and Bartok’s atonal works look like they could have been penned by Collective Soul.

Of course, there is also more tongue-in-cheek cynicism packed into every song for that extra burst of flavor.

The intellectual edge and self-satirizing lyrics have always been constants in the Cursive formula, though. It’s what they do best. The band has an uncanny ability to come off as deceptively pedestrian and it isn’t until upon further review that you realize just how deep the lyrics go. This surface compatibility makes their music accessible on numerous levels.

“The Ugly Organ” exudes talent and capability, proving just how far Cursive can take their music. It also shows just how much the band has grown and matured and how the members have all coalesced into one completely functional, utilitarian unit. At this point, they can probably churn out head-turning songs at record pace. There are no more boundaries, no more walls for this newly evolved band. The whole rock world has become their stomping ground.

The band was more appealing, to bastardize a J. Lo line, when they were just Cursive from the block.

While “The Ugly Organ” is, on paper, the ideal next step for Cursive, perhaps their own “Kid A,” in practice, it is missing something. It is missing the virility and vitality of youth and inexperience, the ingredient that “Domestica” was made of, and still “Burst and Bloom” clung on to in its opening tracks.

On both of those releases, Kasher’s signature scream and the band’s forceful progressions continued around every progression’s corner with you. It was expected and rarely failed to deliver. It was so forceful, even in the most down-tempo of songs, that it was impenetrable. It was a solid wall of sound that gave the otherwise laidback band the energy of a hardcore punk band.

Still, “The Ugly Organ” is an impressive work. Like “Kid A,” it should be looked at and admired on occasion. It should be hung up in some art gallery for musicianship, because it is, in every respect, a work of art.

That being said, “Domestica” is the album you want in your car, something to scream along to, while drivers in the passing lane stare at you wondering just what is wrong with you.