The First Week Of Graduate School
There is much to say about the last two weeks, but suffice it to say I'm pretty tired, even though I've been busy. Class has gone well, and work has been good. Last weekend I had an enjoyable trip to Wisconson for the Leadership Conference (just like last year) even though the plane flights were less than enjoyable for the most part (especially on Friday). Tomorrow I will be at church in St. Petersburg because George Fink is dead. That itself is quite a story. Too bad I am too tired to tell much of it right now. Perhaps later, though.
Album Review: "Bad Hair Day" - Weird Al Yankovic
Amish Paradise - I think this is my favorite Weird Al song ever! This song is the perfect sendup of the rap "Gangsta's Paradise" and was even a radio hit in my city. Better yet, I know some people who have Amish heritage, and I never cease to remind them of this song.
Everything You Know Is Wrong - This is an amusing song about the ironic nature of life and how so much we think we know we really don't. That is the case even though the events of this song are truly far beyond the life experience of anyone.
Cavity Search - This song is a dark spoof of U2's "Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me," and the song is a chilling look at the horrors of dental surgery.
Callin' In Sick - This is a pretty straightfoward song about feeling sick, calling in sick (obviously) and spending one's time convalescing.
The Alternative Polka [Medley] - This is an amusing and mocking look at early 1990's alternative rock, done of course, as a polka.
Since You've Been Gone - This is a doo wap sort of song that overdramatizes the pain of a breakup with a twist. It's better than the Kelly Clarkson song, though.
Gump - This was the second single from the album, and it's a fast and funny spoof of "Lump."
I'm So Sick Of You - This is one those classic kiss-off bad dating tales from Weird Al. Sadly, I don't know if he has ever recorded a happy love song.
Syndicated Inc. - This song is one of those funny references to the stupidity of modern mass culture that Weird Al often sings.
I Remember Larry - This is a pretty darkly funny anti-nostalgic song about a jerk with a very dark twist a la "The Lights Went Out In Georgia".
Phony Calls - This is yet another song about pranks (the last song was as well), this one about the dangers of prank calling, a spoof of TLC's "Waterfalls." It even manages to reference the Simpson's.
The Night Santa Went Crazy - This is a really funny song, one of the best Christmas songs (with vocals) ever, about Santa going postal.
Overall: Overall, this is an excellent album. The originals are almost as good as the spoofs, and the polka is good. This might be, overall, his best album; it certainly ranks up there among the top of the list, at least.
Album Review: "Maroon" - Barenaked Ladies
Too Little, Too Late - The second single from this album, this is a great song about the wearisome business of worrying about whether what we do matters at all or not.
Never Do Anything - This is a midtempo song about laziness, and the justification for it. Again, the song is about the struggle to do anything when one doubts that it matters at all.
Pinch Me - The first single from this album, this was a top 10 hit, a good follow up to the great success of "One Week." This is another song about the difficulty of summoning up energy to do anything at all, even to wake from wayward daydreams.
Go Home - This is an interesting ode to going home to one's wife. It's one of the rare upbeat numbers on thiis album, and even that is couched as a warning.
Falling For The First Time - The third single from this album, this is an upbeat and interesting song.
Conventioneers - This is a very dark story song about two coworkers who have a fling at a convention.
Sell Sell Sell - This is a very dark, almost political song, about the hollowness and mercenary nature of modern culture.
The Humor Of The Situation - This song is an upbeat call to use humor as a defense in awkward situations.
Baby Seat - This is a very inspirational song about taking personal responsibility, with an amusing metaphor. It's one of the better songs on the album.
Off The Hook - This is an interesting song about how a relationship has devolved into an abusive relationship where the guy takes advantage of the girl to let him avoiding any responsibility at all.
Helicopters - This is a song that seems to darkly reflect on the difficult duty of presidents in inspiring a cynical populace. This is a really great song, actually, and very penetrating.
Tonight Is The Night I Fell Asleep At The Wheel - This is a interesting and grimly humorous song about dying in a crash caused by falling asleep at the wheel reflecting on the afterlife. It is possible that, given the rest of the album, the point of the song is metaphorical, but it may just be literal.
Innocent [Bonus Track] - This is a slow, mellow song about someone who is innocent and never does any harm. Given the ironic tone of the rest of the album, such a person does not exist in this world.
Overall: A lot of these songs are songs about the struggle to do anything at all in the face of a corrupted culture wallowing in meaningless sex, the avoidance of accountability, and mindless commercialism, and yet many of the songs end in dark and chaotic. The album thus is rather dark, but worthwhile and coherent. It definitely marks a darker turn for the band, though.
Album Review: "So Far So Good" - Bryan Adams
Summer Of '69 - This is perhaps the most misunderstood song Bryan Adams wrote. Instead of being an ode to 1969, it's an ode to oral sex. That knowledge makes me enjoy the song a lot less.
Straight From The Heart - I greatly enjoy this straightforward ballad, and it's the song of Bryan Adams I would most likely sing in kareoke.
It's Only Love - This is a pretty solid midtempo rock collaboration between Bryan Adams and Tina Turner from Adams' excellent "Reckless" album.
Can't Stop This Thing We Started - Bryan Adams' first #2 hit, this is a classic love ballad from BA.
Do I Have To Say The Words? - This is a pretty straightforward appeal to a lover for patience and another chance.
This Time - This is a pretty amusing midtempo song that confidently proclaims that despite prior failures this time will be a success in snagging the desired young lady.
Run To You - This song, also from "Reckless," is about someone cheating on his girl with a bad girl who gives good love. These sort of songs are quite irksome, though far too common.
Heaven - BA's first #1 hit, this is a somewhat sappy ballad. It's also a decent song, nonetheless.
Cuts Like A Knife - One of BA's earliest hits, this is
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - BA's biggest hit, and one of my favorite songs, this is a most excellent love ballad from my favorite movie. It pretty much uses up the whole book of romantic cliches, and mixes it together in a convincing package.
Somebody - This is a pretty amusing midtempo song that almost seems to cast a Dire Straits sort of view about love--almost a "best of what's available" school of thinking.
Kids Wanna Rock - This amusing anti-new wave tune is one of those pro-rock and roll songs from the early 80's. It's amusing to believe that BA was once a legitimate rocker.
Heat Of The Night - This is a great, and often neglected BA track that posits a pretty clear cause-and-effect tune about paying the piper for a serious mistake.
Please Forgive Me - The only new song in this album, this is a pretty standard "mea maxima culpa" sort of love ballad.
Overall: This is a pretty decent hits compilation for BA. Too bad there are at least two more that have come out since then, the third of which (the 2-volume Anthology) is pretty exhaustive and pretty much eliminates the need to have this one except for those who are Bryan Adams completists.
Album Review: "Bad Hair Day" - Weird Al Yankovic
Amish Paradise - I think this is my favorite Weird Al song ever! This song is the perfect sendup of the rap "Gangsta's Paradise" and was even a radio hit in my city. Better yet, I know some people who have Amish heritage, and I never cease to remind them of this song.
Everything You Know Is Wrong - This is an amusing song about the ironic nature of life and how so much we think we know we really don't. That is the case even though the events of this song are truly far beyond the life experience of anyone.
Cavity Search - This song is a dark spoof of U2's "Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me," and the song is a chilling look at the horrors of dental surgery.
Callin' In Sick - This is a pretty straightfoward song about feeling sick, calling in sick (obviously) and spending one's time convalescing.
The Alternative Polka [Medley] - This is an amusing and mocking look at early 1990's alternative rock, done of course, as a polka.
Since You've Been Gone - This is a doo wap sort of song that overdramatizes the pain of a breakup with a twist. It's better than the Kelly Clarkson song, though.
Gump - This was the second single from the album, and it's a fast and funny spoof of "Lump."
I'm So Sick Of You - This is one those classic kiss-off bad dating tales from Weird Al. Sadly, I don't know if he has ever recorded a happy love song.
Syndicated Inc. - This song is one of those funny references to the stupidity of modern mass culture that Weird Al often sings.
I Remember Larry - This is a pretty darkly funny anti-nostalgic song about a jerk with a very dark twist a la "The Lights Went Out In Georgia".
Phony Calls - This is yet another song about pranks (the last song was as well), this one about the dangers of prank calling, a spoof of TLC's "Waterfalls." It even manages to reference the Simpson's.
The Night Santa Went Crazy - This is a really funny song, one of the best Christmas songs (with vocals) ever, about Santa going postal.
Overall: Overall, this is an excellent album. The originals are almost as good as the spoofs, and the polka is good. This might be, overall, his best album; it certainly ranks up there among the top of the list, at least.
Album Review: "Maroon" - Barenaked Ladies
Too Little, Too Late - The second single from this album, this is a great song about the wearisome business of worrying about whether what we do matters at all or not.
Never Do Anything - This is a midtempo song about laziness, and the justification for it. Again, the song is about the struggle to do anything when one doubts that it matters at all.
Pinch Me - The first single from this album, this was a top 10 hit, a good follow up to the great success of "One Week." This is another song about the difficulty of summoning up energy to do anything at all, even to wake from wayward daydreams.
Go Home - This is an interesting ode to going home to one's wife. It's one of the rare upbeat numbers on thiis album, and even that is couched as a warning.
Falling For The First Time - The third single from this album, this is an upbeat and interesting song.
Conventioneers - This is a very dark story song about two coworkers who have a fling at a convention.
Sell Sell Sell - This is a very dark, almost political song, about the hollowness and mercenary nature of modern culture.
The Humor Of The Situation - This song is an upbeat call to use humor as a defense in awkward situations.
Baby Seat - This is a very inspirational song about taking personal responsibility, with an amusing metaphor. It's one of the better songs on the album.
Off The Hook - This is an interesting song about how a relationship has devolved into an abusive relationship where the guy takes advantage of the girl to let him avoiding any responsibility at all.
Helicopters - This is a song that seems to darkly reflect on the difficult duty of presidents in inspiring a cynical populace. This is a really great song, actually, and very penetrating.
Tonight Is The Night I Fell Asleep At The Wheel - This is a interesting and grimly humorous song about dying in a crash caused by falling asleep at the wheel reflecting on the afterlife. It is possible that, given the rest of the album, the point of the song is metaphorical, but it may just be literal.
Innocent [Bonus Track] - This is a slow, mellow song about someone who is innocent and never does any harm. Given the ironic tone of the rest of the album, such a person does not exist in this world.
Overall: A lot of these songs are songs about the struggle to do anything at all in the face of a corrupted culture wallowing in meaningless sex, the avoidance of accountability, and mindless commercialism, and yet many of the songs end in dark and chaotic. The album thus is rather dark, but worthwhile and coherent. It definitely marks a darker turn for the band, though.
Album Review: "So Far So Good" - Bryan Adams
Summer Of '69 - This is perhaps the most misunderstood song Bryan Adams wrote. Instead of being an ode to 1969, it's an ode to oral sex. That knowledge makes me enjoy the song a lot less.
Straight From The Heart - I greatly enjoy this straightforward ballad, and it's the song of Bryan Adams I would most likely sing in kareoke.
It's Only Love - This is a pretty solid midtempo rock collaboration between Bryan Adams and Tina Turner from Adams' excellent "Reckless" album.
Can't Stop This Thing We Started - Bryan Adams' first #2 hit, this is a classic love ballad from BA.
Do I Have To Say The Words? - This is a pretty straightforward appeal to a lover for patience and another chance.
This Time - This is a pretty amusing midtempo song that confidently proclaims that despite prior failures this time will be a success in snagging the desired young lady.
Run To You - This song, also from "Reckless," is about someone cheating on his girl with a bad girl who gives good love. These sort of songs are quite irksome, though far too common.
Heaven - BA's first #1 hit, this is a somewhat sappy ballad. It's also a decent song, nonetheless.
Cuts Like A Knife - One of BA's earliest hits, this is
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - BA's biggest hit, and one of my favorite songs, this is a most excellent love ballad from my favorite movie. It pretty much uses up the whole book of romantic cliches, and mixes it together in a convincing package.
Somebody - This is a pretty amusing midtempo song that almost seems to cast a Dire Straits sort of view about love--almost a "best of what's available" school of thinking.
Kids Wanna Rock - This amusing anti-new wave tune is one of those pro-rock and roll songs from the early 80's. It's amusing to believe that BA was once a legitimate rocker.
Heat Of The Night - This is a great, and often neglected BA track that posits a pretty clear cause-and-effect tune about paying the piper for a serious mistake.
Please Forgive Me - The only new song in this album, this is a pretty standard "mea maxima culpa" sort of love ballad.
Overall: This is a pretty decent hits compilation for BA. Too bad there are at least two more that have come out since then, the third of which (the 2-volume Anthology) is pretty exhaustive and pretty much eliminates the need to have this one except for those who are Bryan Adams completists.