Month: December 2003

And to round out my triple blog shot, here’s my five songs of the week.
Obstacle 1 by Interpol, on Turn On The Bright Lights
Interpol is one of the bands I’ve heard plenty about but had no idea what their music sounded like. Behold, the wonders of the internet and friends who can make recommendations based on what I like.
I haven’t gotten through the whole album yet – just like every other album I’ve tried to listen to lately – but this track worked its way into my heart without much effort. Good riffs, amusing vocals (any song that seriously uses the word “stuff” is good in my book), and a nice feeling…I don’t know what the gripes are about Interpol sucking. I certainly get the Joy Division feeling, but all music is derivative anyhow. Speaking of derivative…
All I Want For X, by Hardcore Nation, off Hardcore X-Mas Party Vol. 3
Some people may remember my Dancemania reviews. I’ve hated the Dancemania Speed series with a healthy passion, as speed remixes are mostly the work of evil. However, there is a way speed remixes can work – and that’s if they fit the genre properly.
Happy hardcore music is not a genre I’d say is fit easily, but this song – from a compilation of Christmas songs done in hardcore – is perfect. The high range vocals of All I Want For Christmas match the hand clapping and the bouncing bass so well, it’s sick. Just plain old sick.
Hey, by Jurassic 5, off Power In Numbers
I didn’t enjoy most of Power In Numbers (compared to Quality Control, anyhow), but there are a few standout tracks, and this is the sort of song that’s perfect for riding the subway and trying to unwind a little. Although I think this is much more of a summer song, so maybe I’ll like it even more in 6 months.
Grin, by Guster, off Goldfly
I go on these Guster kicks and it’s a different song every time. I always loved the guitar work on this track. And hey, if you don’t love Guster, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? GUSTER IS FOR LOVERS. Take the contrapositive – not loving is for people who don’t like Guster. So have a heart. To get serious again for a minute – the lyrics here, as with many Guster songs, always strike me oddly. It’s amazing how they can sing with one tone and feeling while the lyrics are in sharp contrast to them.
Graduation (unplugged version) by BeForU, off BeForU
There are a handful of Bemani songs that sound a lot better done acoustically than the main album version. Oddly, all of the songs in this category were done by Naoki. You think this is a coincidence? Hey, there isn’t anything wrong with the BeForU girls, outside Noria’s occasional serial-killer look. I can dig it.

It’s frightening how much the coping with the snowstorm is like coping with the city. It’s regularly annoying, painful at times, and can make you want to go fetal-position, but at the same time extremely beautiful and intoxicating from the proper viewpoints.
At times, you would certain like to be rid of it, but truth be told, life wouldn’t be the same without it.

I think everyone who blogs falls into the strange situation at one point or another – life becomes really, really busy. You have no time to update your page, despite your good intentions. And then people you talk to on a regular basis complain that you’re not updating it.
What an odd state where people want me to write to an audience rather than just talk one-on-one.
The fact is, I’ve just been overwhelmed with trying to juggle work, life with Katie, Christmas shopping, and things I do to relax. Let me put it this way: I’m blogging earlier in this week than I am playing video games. SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG HERE FOLKS.
The big news this week – or at least the big confirmation of the week – is that I’m going to San Francisco in January for MacWorld San Francisco. The plane is booked, the booth is being worked out – it’s all for certain now. It will certainly be strange to make it to California, meet a lot of the people I’ve been talking to online for the past two years (and all the usual industry goons), and (should all go according to plan) finally get to SVGL. I’m certainly excited, although I definitely wish Katie could come out with me.
Did I mention we did three Thanksgiving dinners? One with Ian/Colin/et al, one with Katie’s coworker Thassi, and one with my parents? I don’t want to be fed turkey in any form for at least another month.
Did I neglect to note we tried to see Oakenfold? Take a lesson from me: When a club says “Show starts at 10”, show up at midnight, because he won’t be on until 2 AM. We ran out of energy before he went on – which wasn’t a complete loss because the opener was decent.
I need to break this into two entries, so that ends the general me update. The good news is that given the snow (see next entry), I will likely be home for a large chunk of the weekend. I plan to do all the bloggy things I had promised to do ages ago.