SHIZOP TIL YOU DIZROP
MUSIC
Various Artists Gravity DIP Sampler CD
I basically got this CD because there's an exclusive song from Nutigerduo, which features Larry from Hundred Reasons. Apparently, they don't plan on releasing anything else...ever. The song is actually pretty good. It could have easily been an H*R b-side though.
I had been hearing about some of the other bands on here--Stapleton, Instruction, Capdown, Dave House, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., etc. Most of them of are either of the emo/indie persuasion or singer/songwriter types. I haven't been terribly impressed by any of it yet. I'll give it some time though.
Sigur Ros Saeglopur/Japan Tour Only e.p. CD e.p.
As its title explains, this was release to coincide with SR's Japanese tour. There was supposed to be a UK equivalent single release with the same b-sides but that got delayed because EMI decided to re-release the last single, Hoppipolla next week. Whatever. I'm about 40% disappointed with the b-sides on this e.p. I was hoping that the new songs would be just as good if not better than the already perfect Takk... Unfortunately, Sigur Ros have a track record of releasing more experimental sounding tracks on their e.p.'s and singles. And this time is no different. All three new songs, (O Fridur, Kafari, and Refur) are relatively minimal and sparse in sound. They basically sound like extensions to previous e.p. tracks Smaskifa and Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do. For the most part, it's a decent e.p. but it's clear that they save their best songs for their full lengths. The (somewhat) good thing about the e.p. is that it also includes the videos for Glosoli and Hoppipolla (even though I already had both of them).
The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed Deluxe 2-CD Reissue
The first disc is actually a CD and Super Audio CD hybrid. I don't have an SACD player (yet) so I can't listen to the surround sound mix. I mainly bought it was the bonus stuff on the second disc. The alternate takes, mono mixes, and radion session tracks are pretty good. One can hear their slow transition from their "Go Now" years to their overinflated orchestra pieces. But I actually like DOFP. It's a nice little "rock band with orchestra" album. It's a total kick back album. It's definitely executed way better than all the current rock bands with orchestra albums out today.
Queen Greatest Karoake Hits Double CD
As I mentioned in an earlier entry, this Japanese import features karaoke versions of Queen's Greatest Hits. It's all here. You too can sing lead on hits like Fat Bottomed Girls, Another One Bites The Dust, and of course, Bohemian Rhapsody. It really is interesting to hear just the instrumental tracks with the backing vocals. The version of Somebody To Love is particularly great because you can sing the lead on the "call and response" gospel parts. The vocal arrangements are just interesting, alright? I'm a fuckin' geek when it comes to that shit.
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here CD
This was on sale at Best Buy for $8 so it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had always liked the title track of this album. Catherine Wheel did a pretty cool cover of it. And despite it being an overplayed album, I really liked Dark Side of the Moon. This album is alright. During my first run through of it, when Welcome to the Machine was playing, my first thought was, "What is with all the fucking synths? What the hell is this? A prog rock album?!?!" It just sounded really cheesy compared to the cool sequencing on On The Run off Dark Side. I do like Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-38,573) though.
Stereophonics Live from Dakota Double CD
This will officially be the last Stereophonics album I buy. I wanted to give them one last shot but this live album is proof that it's a lost cause at this point. All of the "hits" are played really slow. Local Boy in a Photograph sounds like it's being played at half its original tempo. Gone are Kelly Jones' great story-driven lyrics. Traffic and The Bartender and The Thief were classics whereas Madame Helga and Superman are just crap.
The Streets The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living CD
At this point, I've listened to the album twice. I've taken a great liking to the lead single, When You Wasn't Famous. At the moment, the only other song that stands out is Never Went to Church which is about Mike Skinner missing his father.
Despite this album being relatively decent, I think Skinner is becoming a victim of "becoming too famous." Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics suffered the same fate. In both cases of The Streets and the Stereophonics, their earlier albums were great lyrically because they wrote about their pre-famed daily lives. Their "every man" lyrics were something the people (including myself) could relate to. But now that they've gotten big, they're subject matter is no longer the same and it's not something that regular people can relate to. I've stopped liking the last few Stereophonics albums because of this. And there is the potential that Skinner will go the same route. I guess time will tell.
Various Artists/Phil Spector Back to Mono CD Box Set
I read on an audiophile message board that Costco where selling this box set for the unbelievable price of $15. MSRP is like $70. Since Rents has a Costco membership, I made him go there and get me three copies. I was planning on throwing the other two up on eBay to make a profict but I've decided give one a copy to brandude as a late b-day present (and as a thank you for all the Smartpunk hook ups the last few months).
I actually haven't listened the entire box set just yet. But I am familiar with a lot of the songs. It's great to finally have a somewhat comprehensive anthology of Phil Spector's material. All the classics are here--Be My Baby, River Deep Mountain High, Spanish Harlem, This Could Be The Night, etc. I'm happy to finally hear the original version of So Young by Veronica (aka Ronnie Spector) after listening to The Devil Dogs version for so many years.
The Ordinary Boys What Do I Get? 7" Single
Another eBay "win." This fucker cost me a whopping $38 when I should have gotten it for free. In 2004, if you signed up for The Ordinary Army mailing list, you were to get a copy of this fan club single sent to you for free. Of course, I didn't get my copy. Probably because I was in the States. Sooo, I had to get a hold of this via eBay. Bastards. Anyway, this one-sided single is a cover of the classic Buzzcocks song. TOB do a pretty good version of it. They stay pretty faithful to the original but I like that.
I honestly cannot understand why TOB have not been signed in the States. They are so ridiculously Britpop (a la Blur circa Pop Scene) it's not even funny. But then again, that's probably EXACTLY why they aren't signed in the States.
MOVIES
Best Buy was having a sale where if you bought one "special edition" DVD movie, you got another one (of equal or lesser value) for free. So I took the opportunity to buy two of my favorite movies, True Romance and The Lost Boys.
True Romance
This is my favorite Quentin Tarantino written but not directed movie. I had this on laser but it didn't have any of the extra stuff that the DVD has. Haven't watched it yet but I'm looking forward to hear the commentary. The scene where Patricia Arquette totally fucks up that guy in the bathroom is by far my favorite. Especially when she hits him with the toilet tank lid. Seriously, that shit must have hurt!
The Lost Boys
Another post-Brat Pack classic. There are just a bunch of great one-liners in this one.
I tried to make you immortal!
You tried to make me a KILLER!!!
Great, the blood-sucking Brady Bunch!
A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Snoopy Come Home
Anybody who knows me and has seen my four Peanuts tattoos knows that I've always been a huge Peanuts fan. These were officially the first two Peanuts feature-length films. I actually hadn't seen either of them in quite a while but I remember Snoopy Come Home being really fucking sad. This set will go great with my Peanuts Holiday Collection DVD Box Set that Rents got me for Christmas 2003. Hopefully, DVD releases of Race For Your Life Charlie Brown and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown won't be too far off.
