As long as we're all on a music kick...
Did you know they make off-brand Everclear? Did you know you should double-check to make sure the flaming shot actually blew out before you drink it, especially if you're drinking almost pure flammable substance? My old roommate Mike learned both of these as set his face on fire this weekend. Also my arm, a guitar, and the table, but the first two escaped much damage (I have a less fuzzy spot now). The table and his face, not so much.
I went up to Pittsburgh for the weekend, and met Tommy at his place (half way) to switch drivers & vehicles. This might have been my last weekend I could- I do real, grown-up work now, 8-4:30 (or 8:30-5 if I ask nicely), and cannot be 5 hours north by 3PM anymore. I finally got my diploma yesterday. Growing up's kinda sad. I've had to work to keep a number of friendships going since high school. Some people get further away, some are shy and not so great at keeping contact, and some (despite liking you just fine) simply aren't the type of people to be friends- they need maintenance work or else you'll simply fall apart. And, for very private reasons, I simply cannot stand having someone completely forgotten or pushed out of my life.
So now, I have to work to make sure I stay connected to most of my friends, since I don't live anywhere near most of them and don't have any more regular schedule that'll make me see almost any of them again. But, after 22 years, I have a clear understanding of what's important to me. Thank god for LJ and Text-messaging. I have no idea how I'd do it if I had to actually talk to people to keep in contact.
While I was on my new car's first roadtrip, I took advantage of its CD player. I re-discovered quite a few albums I've "owned" for years and just haven't played. Despite the fact that most of the ones I listened to are fantastic.
I didn't get too many done, as I only drove 10 hours total, and I have XM radio, but...
Soul Coughing's El Oso is a great album. Most folk are familiar with "Circles" or "Rolling", and they're probably the "best" on there, but not my favorite. The album as a whole is something like 65% stoner rock, 35% techno. It's surprisingly complimentary, and the last song on the CD has an infectious beat. Plus, the whole thing is filled with more drug references than you could imagine.
Mighty Might Bosstone's 1 2 8 should need no introduction. If you like Ska or Punk, you should listen to it more often. It lacks one of my favorite songs of theirs, "Where'd you go?" But it has their one radio hit, the completely off-genre and still good "Royal Oil", and some attempts at getting deeper than are borderline funny.
Smash Mouth's Fush Yu Mang is even funnier now that I know the album's title is a Scarface reference. The singer's voice is perfect, "Pet Names" provides me with exactly what it advertises, and it's got a pretty Fantastic beat (except, maybe, the first two songs). Another Punk/Ska blend.
Presidents of the United States of America (Eponymous album) has songs other than "Peaches" on it. But they're all as amusing. Not all funny, almost all perverted, and much better than you'd expect from a "gimmick band" as they're usually thought of. Pretty much cock-rock with a sense of humor.
The Offspring's Greatest Hits is the only band where I can call "Greatest Hits" my favorite album. I suppose it makes me a bad fan... but you know what? I love them. They're on my MP3 player, so they don't fit here. But they're approaching top-tier status (top 5, with the unimpeachable Sublime and The Replacements as the solid holders of top 2 and the rest pretty fluid), so I give them a shout-out.
And now...
Toad the Wet Sprocket is another top-tier band. But their melodies ain't too great. Someone has told me "Windmills" kinda sounds like "The Freshman", but I honestly can't see it unless I really stretch. However... Their lyrics are brilliant.
"Another game of putting things aside
As if we'll come back to them sometime"
"Again
It seems we meet
In the spaces
In between"
Both from "Something's Always Wrong"
"the truth is not kind
and you've said neither am i"
From "All I want" ( significance... the previous entry's cool too.)
"and half and hour later we packed up our things
we said we'd send letters and all those little things
and they knew we were lying but they smiled just the same
it seemed they'd already forgotten we'd came"
"we don't even have pictures
just memories to hold
that grow sweeter each season
as we slowly grow old"
Both from "Walk on the Ocean" (didn't know that was was theirs, did you?)
(It usually makes me get a bit misty at the end... then I remember guys don't cry, so I don't)
"it's hard to rely on my good intentions
when my head's full of things that i can't mention
seems i usually get things right
but i can't understand what i did last night"
From "Good Intentions"
Most of their good stuff is on youTube (it lacks "Nanci"), and all Lyrics are here.
I went up to Pittsburgh for the weekend, and met Tommy at his place (half way) to switch drivers & vehicles. This might have been my last weekend I could- I do real, grown-up work now, 8-4:30 (or 8:30-5 if I ask nicely), and cannot be 5 hours north by 3PM anymore. I finally got my diploma yesterday. Growing up's kinda sad. I've had to work to keep a number of friendships going since high school. Some people get further away, some are shy and not so great at keeping contact, and some (despite liking you just fine) simply aren't the type of people to be friends- they need maintenance work or else you'll simply fall apart. And, for very private reasons, I simply cannot stand having someone completely forgotten or pushed out of my life.
So now, I have to work to make sure I stay connected to most of my friends, since I don't live anywhere near most of them and don't have any more regular schedule that'll make me see almost any of them again. But, after 22 years, I have a clear understanding of what's important to me. Thank god for LJ and Text-messaging. I have no idea how I'd do it if I had to actually talk to people to keep in contact.
While I was on my new car's first roadtrip, I took advantage of its CD player. I re-discovered quite a few albums I've "owned" for years and just haven't played. Despite the fact that most of the ones I listened to are fantastic.
I didn't get too many done, as I only drove 10 hours total, and I have XM radio, but...
Soul Coughing's El Oso is a great album. Most folk are familiar with "Circles" or "Rolling", and they're probably the "best" on there, but not my favorite. The album as a whole is something like 65% stoner rock, 35% techno. It's surprisingly complimentary, and the last song on the CD has an infectious beat. Plus, the whole thing is filled with more drug references than you could imagine.
Mighty Might Bosstone's 1 2 8 should need no introduction. If you like Ska or Punk, you should listen to it more often. It lacks one of my favorite songs of theirs, "Where'd you go?" But it has their one radio hit, the completely off-genre and still good "Royal Oil", and some attempts at getting deeper than are borderline funny.
Smash Mouth's Fush Yu Mang is even funnier now that I know the album's title is a Scarface reference. The singer's voice is perfect, "Pet Names" provides me with exactly what it advertises, and it's got a pretty Fantastic beat (except, maybe, the first two songs). Another Punk/Ska blend.
Presidents of the United States of America (Eponymous album) has songs other than "Peaches" on it. But they're all as amusing. Not all funny, almost all perverted, and much better than you'd expect from a "gimmick band" as they're usually thought of. Pretty much cock-rock with a sense of humor.
The Offspring's Greatest Hits is the only band where I can call "Greatest Hits" my favorite album. I suppose it makes me a bad fan... but you know what? I love them. They're on my MP3 player, so they don't fit here. But they're approaching top-tier status (top 5, with the unimpeachable Sublime and The Replacements as the solid holders of top 2 and the rest pretty fluid), so I give them a shout-out.
And now...
Toad the Wet Sprocket is another top-tier band. But their melodies ain't too great. Someone has told me "Windmills" kinda sounds like "The Freshman", but I honestly can't see it unless I really stretch. However... Their lyrics are brilliant.
"Another game of putting things aside
As if we'll come back to them sometime"
"Again
It seems we meet
In the spaces
In between"
Both from "Something's Always Wrong"
"the truth is not kind
and you've said neither am i"
From "All I want" ( significance... the previous entry's cool too.)
"and half and hour later we packed up our things
we said we'd send letters and all those little things
and they knew we were lying but they smiled just the same
it seemed they'd already forgotten we'd came"
"we don't even have pictures
just memories to hold
that grow sweeter each season
as we slowly grow old"
Both from "Walk on the Ocean" (didn't know that was was theirs, did you?)
(It usually makes me get a bit misty at the end... then I remember guys don't cry, so I don't)
"it's hard to rely on my good intentions
when my head's full of things that i can't mention
seems i usually get things right
but i can't understand what i did last night"
From "Good Intentions"
Most of their good stuff is on youTube (it lacks "Nanci"), and all Lyrics are here.