three words: over...the...rhine
and a few more words:
I saw Over the Rhine play last night at Eddie's Attic and it was astounding. You simply must check them out. Amazing voices, jazz arrangements and solos, smoky and subtle and so freaking good! Not to mention (though I am mentioning) I witnessed the most amazing drum solo I've ever seen last night. To top it off, Rosie Thomas (of Sufjan Stevens fame) opened the show. I still can't wrap my head around her tiny, shrill talking voice and her warm, buttery singing voice. Is she faking it? I won't be the one to pass blame. People need their angle, shtick and so forth. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
To keep with the musical thematics, here is a great video of one of my favorites, Andrew Bird, in a Blues Cluesesque kids show:
Andrew Bird as Dr. Strings
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
at the movies
I'm no critic officially. I do, however, dabble in the practice of putting my beliefs, opinions and nonpoint-based ramblings into readable forms forcing the happenstance viewer to figure out if I'm worth further pursuit. So given I have only a few words before you will undoubtedly say, "no mas," I will be decidedly short-winded about a few movies I saw this past weekend.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford:
This movie was very well acted by the likes of Brad Pitt and especially Casey Affleck. Who knew the little brother was better? Well he just is. It was a long movie and quite slow at parts. It seemed very matter of fact which was refreshing for a period, westernish production. No glamour, no glitz, but often some guts. A nice dose of reality about our history's icons always goes a long way. Go see it, but don't expect Tombstone or Young Guns. Casey Affleck is superior as a punk kid who whines and takes crap from everyone. He plays it so well you might imagine he's like that in real life. You'll see that there's another side in the next topic.
3 of 5 stars
Gone Baby, Gone:
Absolutely amazing! I applaud Ben Affleck for his directorial debut and immediately forgive him for his past choices (Gigli, Dare Devil, shall I go on?). This film is deep and hard and touching and challeging. The ethical and moral dilemmas alone keep you tossing and turing, but the performances (namely and once again, Casey Affleck) are stunning and captivating. Casey shows the tough side of his chops, manning up to guys twice his size on the mean streets of Boston. He is as authentic a Bostonian as Mark Wahlberg or Matt Damon have ever been. I expect great things from this kid and eagerly await his next project. But back to the movie; go see it. You will thank me. Seriously...I expect a thank you.
5 of 5 stars
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford:
This movie was very well acted by the likes of Brad Pitt and especially Casey Affleck. Who knew the little brother was better? Well he just is. It was a long movie and quite slow at parts. It seemed very matter of fact which was refreshing for a period, westernish production. No glamour, no glitz, but often some guts. A nice dose of reality about our history's icons always goes a long way. Go see it, but don't expect Tombstone or Young Guns. Casey Affleck is superior as a punk kid who whines and takes crap from everyone. He plays it so well you might imagine he's like that in real life. You'll see that there's another side in the next topic.
3 of 5 stars
Gone Baby, Gone:
Absolutely amazing! I applaud Ben Affleck for his directorial debut and immediately forgive him for his past choices (Gigli, Dare Devil, shall I go on?). This film is deep and hard and touching and challeging. The ethical and moral dilemmas alone keep you tossing and turing, but the performances (namely and once again, Casey Affleck) are stunning and captivating. Casey shows the tough side of his chops, manning up to guys twice his size on the mean streets of Boston. He is as authentic a Bostonian as Mark Wahlberg or Matt Damon have ever been. I expect great things from this kid and eagerly await his next project. But back to the movie; go see it. You will thank me. Seriously...I expect a thank you.
5 of 5 stars
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
a question of science?
Last night I saw a Discovery Channel special on "The Search for Noah's Ark". I love that kind of history/myth stuff because its just that; unsolved. Not unlike Unsolved Mysteries starring Robert Stack. His film noir trench coat always made it seem like he was in the thick of it; and I, with him.
Back to the point, the hour-long special noted many geological findings, creationist psychobabble (as they put it) and evolutionists facts (as they put it). They actually gave more credit to a meteorite theory for a flood than an actual, God-sized miracle. I'm not going to debate facts or theories, though some are absurd, intriguing or just funny. I would like to point out that the so-called "liberal" view of this account and most biblical accounts are in fact very conservative and restrained in what they allow to be possible (and therefore, true in their opinion). It would be a much more liberal (all-inclusive view) and quite liberating to actually believe that these wondrous and hard to imagine stories/miracles could have actually happened. I suppose I would just rather not hear people associate secular world views with a liberality that only comes from looking at all possibilities; no matter how skeptical we want to be.
But I digress.
The truth is out there.
(cue the music)
(roll the credits)
(and cut)
Back to the point, the hour-long special noted many geological findings, creationist psychobabble (as they put it) and evolutionists facts (as they put it). They actually gave more credit to a meteorite theory for a flood than an actual, God-sized miracle. I'm not going to debate facts or theories, though some are absurd, intriguing or just funny. I would like to point out that the so-called "liberal" view of this account and most biblical accounts are in fact very conservative and restrained in what they allow to be possible (and therefore, true in their opinion). It would be a much more liberal (all-inclusive view) and quite liberating to actually believe that these wondrous and hard to imagine stories/miracles could have actually happened. I suppose I would just rather not hear people associate secular world views with a liberality that only comes from looking at all possibilities; no matter how skeptical we want to be.
But I digress.
The truth is out there.
(cue the music)
(roll the credits)
(and cut)
Monday, October 15, 2007
in one widget, out the other
The first time I heard the term widget my conscience immediately streamed Star Wars...Ewok...The Battle for Endor...Willford Brimley...Quaker Oats...and for some reason I feel the urge to check my blood sugar. (Thanks Liberty Medical) I seemed to be mistaken at the time, but now have a firm grip on all the concepts of widgetry, both for good and evil, however asinine their uses may be. I can now successfully bounce a ball on my screen without ever having to worry about my rotator cuff injury from the '89 playoffs. It was then I decided never to pitch for the Cubs again; stupid Giants, you think you're sooo big and bad. For the record Don Zimmer does not look any better in person, but Ryne Sandberg does.
Would I be wrong in assuming that their is such a thing as a Nidget? And would it be way cooler with more street cred than it's faux-urban counterpart? If so, it's the Nidget for me.
It should be noted that I'm working on a "little application" (my designated p.c. term for widget) for an unnamed cruise line as my debut project in the working world. I have written a little song and dance to go along with my crash course in the travel industry. It shall be posted later this week for your enjoyment.
In other news, I had four shows in three days last week. They went well. So well in fact that I will post a link to download the Eddie's Attic show in it's entirety soon enough.
In the meantime, here's some amazing stop-motion animation for the purists out there:
Would I be wrong in assuming that their is such a thing as a Nidget? And would it be way cooler with more street cred than it's faux-urban counterpart? If so, it's the Nidget for me.
It should be noted that I'm working on a "little application" (my designated p.c. term for widget) for an unnamed cruise line as my debut project in the working world. I have written a little song and dance to go along with my crash course in the travel industry. It shall be posted later this week for your enjoyment.
In other news, I had four shows in three days last week. They went well. So well in fact that I will post a link to download the Eddie's Attic show in it's entirety soon enough.
In the meantime, here's some amazing stop-motion animation for the purists out there:
Verde: Traviata
Moviekiss (The Lite Brite Video)
Monday, October 8, 2007
"I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship"
First week; done.
Second week; give me a week to get it done.
Even though I've only been here for 5 days and 3 hours, it seems like I've been here for 11 days and 6 hours. The first day seemed like 2 days. Then the second day, when Marta made me get off the train and reroute on the northbound to go southbound and I was fearing a head on collision and picturing a train escape not unlike The Fugitive, it seemed like 3 days. But the third day everyone in the office left early to go drinking when the internet went down. That seemed like only a day. But then when everyone came back the next day it started seeming like two days; making a total of...oh, well if you want to see it I have it written down in my journal.
If you are confused at this point drop everything and watch The Jerk with Steve Martin.
This account is my transition period from design school (where chaos reigns and paper schedules are shredded in only creative ways like Chinese throwing stars or feeding the neighborhood goat, while the all-to corporate paper shredder is shunned) to a more normal existence of being awake in the daylight and asleep in the twilight. Not to be in conflict with my sure-to-be many Alaskan and Arctic readers. A month worth of night is certainly worth a month of day. I'll call my senator tomorrow. We shouldn't overlook the inalienable rights of extreme northerners to have a balance of light and dark. Though oversleeping would have a whole new set of excuses. "Umm...my pet polar bear didn't wake me up...the nerve of Steve; not waking me up when I specifically told him 7:45. And what's worse, he still blames it on the sun. You gotta own up to your mistakes is all I'm saying."
Disclaimer: The claims of this blogcast do not necessarily reflect those of the station or it's owners...so I might be in a hostage crisis, forced daily to write about how amazing Avenue-A Razorfish is treating me. Only you can follow the clues and decipher the hidden message to find the truth. Even now I risk being seditiously beat8o7=/.'! @(+2 ? =3. . ... ..
Second week; give me a week to get it done.
Even though I've only been here for 5 days and 3 hours, it seems like I've been here for 11 days and 6 hours. The first day seemed like 2 days. Then the second day, when Marta made me get off the train and reroute on the northbound to go southbound and I was fearing a head on collision and picturing a train escape not unlike The Fugitive, it seemed like 3 days. But the third day everyone in the office left early to go drinking when the internet went down. That seemed like only a day. But then when everyone came back the next day it started seeming like two days; making a total of...oh, well if you want to see it I have it written down in my journal.
If you are confused at this point drop everything and watch The Jerk with Steve Martin.
This account is my transition period from design school (where chaos reigns and paper schedules are shredded in only creative ways like Chinese throwing stars or feeding the neighborhood goat, while the all-to corporate paper shredder is shunned) to a more normal existence of being awake in the daylight and asleep in the twilight. Not to be in conflict with my sure-to-be many Alaskan and Arctic readers. A month worth of night is certainly worth a month of day. I'll call my senator tomorrow. We shouldn't overlook the inalienable rights of extreme northerners to have a balance of light and dark. Though oversleeping would have a whole new set of excuses. "Umm...my pet polar bear didn't wake me up...the nerve of Steve; not waking me up when I specifically told him 7:45. And what's worse, he still blames it on the sun. You gotta own up to your mistakes is all I'm saying."
Disclaimer: The claims of this blogcast do not necessarily reflect those of the station or it's owners...so I might be in a hostage crisis, forced daily to write about how amazing Avenue-A Razorfish is treating me. Only you can follow the clues and decipher the hidden message to find the truth. Even now I risk being seditiously beat8o7=/.'! @(+2 ? =3. . ... ..
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