In the corner of your eye

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
 -H.P. Lovecraft



 

Fears and Aspirations (Against me!)

    
    First off I'm going to share link to against me playing with new/fill in drummer Jay Weinberg, Here courtesy of Punknews.org.  I'd have to say, completely objectively I really like watching him play with these guys and can only hope he is a positive influence on a band that was once my favorite.  I certainly don't think anyone can ever replace that amazing style that Warren had but I think he fits better the George Rebelo did (BTW how stoked am I  that George and the rest of Hot Water Music are working on a new album?! STOKED).  Completely ignoring the subject of Tom's hair cut, this is the first footage of them I've seen in a long time where I feel like they genuinely had some of their older chemistry.  Tom, the long haired hippie, actually seems like he's enjoying himself and having fun during these recordings.  I will try not to bash a band for changing up their sound and heading in a new direction.   It happens, every new album cannot be better or the same as the last.  I will try not to play holier than thou and judge, for whatever reason a band chooses to join a larger label and evolve their sound, this is their decision to make.
   With that out of the way, I  found New Wave and White Crosses to be completely lackluster, dull, and uninspired.  Butch Vig and Sire records are who I mainly feel are responsible for this. Maybe, I'm naive and optimistic, or perhaps I'm just a fanboy trying to rationalize an influential band's demise.  Now that they've left Sire and it seems logical they won't be able to afford Vig's production cost if  there is anytime to be optimistic about the band's future it seems like that time is now. I'm not going to expect the next album to be another Crimes or Reinventing Axel Rose but I think for the first time in a long time this band is once again relevant to my interest.  Also, OUTTA THE CAR LONG HAIR!

Top Albums of 2010

I'm not putting these albums in order since I would kill myself debating which is better than and why. Instead these are the  albums this year that I had the most fun listening to. Enjoy and always, these are just opinions folks.

Arcade Fire - Suburbs

More of the same from a fantastic band. Although I don't think anything they do will match Funeral this album was a great piece of work.

Menzingers - Chamberlain Waits

2010 was my first time hearing the Menzingers and all I can say is WOW. This album just truly rocks, filled with punk songs with that folk edge I just love. Every track seems to be one that makes me want to get up and move while I sing along.

Mixtapes - Maps

Short and awkwardly sweet this band writes songs and plays in them in a way that is hard to resist. As far as I am concerned, Mixtapes get new band of the year for 2010. Between this album and the "Thoughts about growing up" EP their poppy fun style is unbeatable.

Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

Obvious comparisons to the boss aside, this album captures an era gone by perfectly.  Brain Fallon gives you the sense of an indomitable spirit through every song. I don't think I will ever get tired of listening to this band.

Dopamines - Expect the Worst

 This album is the epitome of everything I love about pop-punk.  I smile every time I hear this band. This is easily my favorite pop-punk album of the year. There really is nothing else to say.

 Defiance Ohio - Midwestern Minutes
Defiance Ohio has long been the flagship band for folk punk in my eyes.  Though slightly less "edgy" perhaps than their previous releases those anarcho punks really put out a solid album that had some phenomenal tracks on board.  From start till finish they never really seem to lose track of the feel of this album.

Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame

This album was recently turned on to me by a friend of mine. I haven't stopped listening to it since.  Instrumentally it is the best parts of the flaming lips while the lyrics tend to be slightly less silly.  Psychedelic rock at its finest right here people, you can groove along to this album for days.

High On Fire - Snakes for the Divine

In my opinion this band now suffers from the same issue that will always plague Arcade Fire, not being able to top a previous release.  In High on Fire's case it is 2007's quintessential Death Is The Communion. With that aside, whats to be said about this album?  It's frikkin sweet! Matt Pike's distinctive sound comes raging through to you crystal clear.  This is the sound to go to war to.

The only reason I'd kick you out of bed, is to fuck you on the floor

I'm such a goddamn addict

I don't want solidarity if it means holding hands with you

Eat a dick, then grow up

Stand there till your sober - Bomb the Music Industry!

Brown paper bags metal cans.
Sixty degrees fahrenheit.
We can't see the stars tonight
‘cause apartments generate ambient light
And I'm sorry that we're not already drunk.

Hours later we're getting there
Meters away from the shore
My forty of Corona is just
drops away from being kicked
And I don't know what I'm gonna be tomorrow.

When you stayed overnight making out with a stranger
in the bottom of a boat that belonged to a stranger
and you came home at six in the morning
after being caught ass naked by the dude who threw the party
I thought that we'd never grow up.
I thought that we'd never grow up.

Now all my friends rise at eight.
They go to sleep before midnight.
And I just wanna drink 'til three
Embarrassing myself publicly.
And you all used to be just like me
You fuckers used to be just like me.

So now I sit and stew alone.
Everyone's already sleeping.
Everybody's moved away
and can pay their bills on time.
No one else is making a hundred and ten bucks for twenty hours.
God I hate this fucking place.
God I hate what happened to me.
You promised we'd stay best of friends.
But we can't 'cause I just can't grow up.

And it kills me. Yeah it kills me
that I don’t know what I can do.
I can’t breathe correctly and
I can’t sleep or anything and
I can’t think of anything I can’t think of anything.

Now every night is miserable.
So sad I can't even get drunk.
So let's go out just one last time.
Let's finish off a box of wine.
Do shots of yukon jack and lime.
Can we drink 'til I fucking die?

I'll make you party at my funeral
'Cause mourning is for suckers.
I'll rent a ferris wheel and
cotton candy machine and have open bar
with all the Pabst that you can drink
the PA blasting my Clash records.
You'll finally know that life's okay
Even when bad things happen.

So just one more beer, then grow up.
So just one more beer, then grow up.
So just one more beer.
Go to work.
Pay your bills.
Eat a dick.
One more beer, THEN grow up.

Your children are pirates (you should hope)

They are tired of paying for things they don't neeed.  They are tired of being taken advantage of but told they can't use their own resources to take that advantage.  They aren't listening anymore, at least you should hope.  You should hope your child is going to try and do something differently.  You should pray every night that your kid is out there doing things that are crazy.  You should cry tears of joy for when they stand up for who they are, when they stick their chins up in pride.

I don't want to march in the street.  I don't want to work with in the system to change things.  I don't want to fight the system from outside it.  I want to be autonomous.  I want to run my business, be my own boss, have people who work for me, with similar ideals and morals.  I want to retire to the woods and live by myself.

Don't ever feel entitled to anything, not life, not liberty, not happiness.  What right do you have to any of those things over the next person.  Entitlement is the same as hopelessness.