ALBUM – Destruction by Definition

ARTIST – The Suicide Machines

YEAR – 1996

Hey!

“Hey! What’s goin’ on?
Hey! What went wrong?
Hey! I don’t know why…
Hey! I might as well try! Buy

Well, I looked around this crazy place and tried to make some sense of it…
Robbed a bank and stole a car and tried to put some dents in it
AND everybody is playing games
I don’t know what to make of it
Don’t play your stupid games you know I don’t need all that fucked up shit

No one ever told me I was gonna get older
Turned 21 and I thought my life was over
Took a long time to get where I am now
And I’m not gonna sit around wondering how, no!

Well I listen to your fuckin’ shit I can’t make any sense of it
‘Cause what goes in does not come out, you’ve gotta put two cents in it
You’re just a blob of fuckin’ jell you’re brain is floating in space
And if your brain was worth a quarter I’d get twenty-six cents back in change!

No one told me that the grass would be greener
I’ve done a lot of things since the last time that I seen her
No one ever told me it would be this way
That’s why you can’t make any sense out of anything I say!

My world is crumbling and I don’t know what to do
It’s falling down around me ‘cause I’m thinking of you
If we take a look at our world today
Are our morals on decline or have we all gone insane?

Hey! What’s goin’ on?
Hey! What went wrong?
Hey! I don’t know why…
Hey! I might as well try”

And that’s all I have to say about that…  Wicked song!!!  Have a good weekend.

Cheers…

ALBUM – Hello Nasty

ARTIST – The Beastie Boys

YEAR – 1998

This is a week for celebrating.

Today, in particular, I want to celebrate Adam Yauch.  Congratulations!

Furthermore, I wish to convey my, our, love for THE BEASTIE BOYS.

I have just read (and heard) – shortly after waking up -  that the Beasties are due with another record this coming April 16th (even this video is a celebration).  Today’s news had a sample of their first single, “Make Some Noise”.

“Festivus”!  Kramer’s made-up Holiday.  Nah, I just want to let the good news sink in and enjoy it.  I will suffer from anxiety, obviously, but it will be from the positive kind.

It got me feeling 14 again, that’s how old I was when “Use Your Illusion I and II” came out.  I remember that day vividly.  I forced my mother to take me to the mall and made her wait, standing in line with me at the record store, for my turn to buy the new “Guns”.

Nostalgia.

That is exactly what I feel when I listen to “Hello Nasty”.  It brings me back to the last time I was in New York (it’s been 13 years).  And, out of pure good luck and fortune, one of my all-time favourite bands were releasing an album.  Of course I listened to this non-stop for the next 13 years.

And of course you know I have a favourite Beasties album, it’s a known fact; “Ill Communication” is by far my favourite.  But that doesn’t mean we cannot appreciate other albums.

This one in particular is just as great.  Less inspiration, maybe.  Rather, I think the trio were in a transitional phase, moving from their ’90s style – adolescence – into their naughties’ maturity/manhood.

Just think back and remember what came out after “Hello Nasty”  Other than pay homage to the Big Apple, they put together a new kind of sound; something that was beginning to appear in this 1998 recording.

P.S: I have just purchased (pre-online-purchase) the new album.  I suggest you do the same.  I reckon it will be worth it.

Cheers…

ALBUM – 41 Original Hits From the Soundtrack of American Graffiti

ARTIST – Various

YEAR – 1973

Homage to P.  Maria will know who I’m talking about, and anyone who has ever read Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange”.

To the most important man in my life; someone whom I think does not hear that enough.  All I am is thanks to this guy.

So, in a way, why not pay a small tribute.

This movie, if memory serves, is among his favourites (the other is THE GRADUATE, another classic).  It is a favourite not just because of the story, the movie, but for the soundtrack.

Side note: I recall watching a documentary on the making of “American Graffiti”.  It was directed by George Lucas, yes, him, the man who managed to completely vandalise some of my childhood’s fondest memories and totally destroyand anihilate any expectations I had for his “new” Star Wars trilogy.  Please, let me not get into that.

Anyways, as I was saying, Mr Lucas said, back then, he wanted to direct a “musical”.  Granted.  But not a musical a la SOUND OF MUSIC.  Rather, he wanted the music to be constant, the music to carry the movie, help with the mood and add to the movie-going-experience.  Neat idea, worked, kicked ass!  Awesome movie, even better soundtrack.  Very few are this good.

Then, came 1999.  What a year.  I honestly wish I had never gone in to see the movie I wish not speak of.  I mean, this guy made THX 1138, which, I think, is genious.  He came up with Star Wars, IV, V and VI.  OK!  Enough.

Back to the Man, with a capital M, yes.

Graffiti pans out in the mid ’60s, although it is a ’70s movie.  Those must have been some good, good, fun times.  I mean, the cars, the hype and vibe, the music, the attitude, clothes, purpose.  War was imminent, people were coming of age, in between adolescence and manhood.  Just a very accurate and cool portrait of an era.  And, I must agree, the music does indeed help.  Good idea, Mr Lucas.

P.  I love you, more than you will ever know.  Thank you, for everything.  All of the positive influences, like American Graffiti, The Graduate, good music, for all the counselling, support, patience, my passion for music, life, politics, my love for the arts, culture, for family, for, well, everything.

Like I said, you are the MAN.  Don’t ever forget it.  See you in a little bit, mate!

Cheers…

ALBUM -Rumble: The Best of Link Wray

ARTIST – Link Wray

YEAR – 1993

Listen to track 15, “I’m Branded”, by Link Wray.  Ok, now go and listen to ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT’S “On a Rope“.  Let me know what you think.

Go listen to The Skatalites, then listen to some Brazilian – piece of shit, ball sucking – band, called Skank.  You cannot get more in-your-face-plagiarism than that there.  Really?!  Go check it out.

Ridiculous.

Movie Reference number one: Tarantino’s PULP FICTION.  Track 1, “Rumble” is on there, on the soundtrack, I mean.  And I am sure all of you have heard it.  Kick ass, eh?!

Movie reference number two: David Fincher’s FIGHT CLUB.  Haha!  Nope, no song is on there, I just wanted to quote something, “when you have insomnia, everything feels like a copy of a copy of a copy…”.

Book reference number one: Chuck Palahniuk’s FIGHT CLUB.  Same line, different quote, “This is how it is with insomnia.  Everything is far away, a copy of a copy of a copy.”

So there, I just wanted to use the FIGHT CLUB reference in order to use the word “copy” a lot.

I also think Palahniuk makes a unique critique (no pun intended) of the modern capitalist society; that is, everything seems to revolve around the concept, for us, the people, of copying something or imitating or mimicking.  No?! Fuck off, then.

Back!

Fred Lincoln “Link” Wray Jr (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) fucking kicks ass!!!

Listen to the album.  Really, do.  He just kills.  Kills, kills, kills.  Wicked guitar riffs much?!
I understand, no, actually, I don’t, but who cares.  I just think I understand why people would copy his shit: they know they can do no better.

Thanks to Maria, my lovely sister for the inspiration and title of the post.  Oh yeah, also for Bonut (Donut and Bone) and Cog (Cat and Dog).

Cheers…

ALBUM – Tiny Music…Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop

ARTIST – Stone Temple Pilots

YEAR – 1996

I know.  What an idiot, their best album is “Core” or “Purple”.  FUck off!  I like “Tiny Music”.

Although, I do think Purple is their best effort – but I will get into that later, another time, another place.

It just so happens that I had this CD here in front of me and I said “WTF?!  Let’s give it a try”.  It does bring back fond memories and manages to distract my senses.  You see, I smell like doggie medicine; it fell all over my trousers.   But nevermind.

So, of course the best track is “Big Bang Baby”; video is also pretty neat.

But I really like “Seven Caged Tigers”, probably my favourite.

The day, today, had been going by quite slowly, then came traffic and then the afternoon.  Almost done, now.

Cheers…

ALBUM – Judgement Night

ARTIST – Various

YEAR – 1993

Ottawa, Ontario,  Canada.

It was winter, if memory serves (it doesn’t, but, whatever), and my friends and I (Jamie, Brendan and Mike) watched this for the first time.

Obviously, we thought the movie was cool, even though we didn’t really get the violence and the nonsense fiction of it all (you have to watch it again to realise that what happens in the movie is way far fetched).

What stood out the most, even back then, while we were going through our grunge, I love Steppenwolf and Led Zeppelin phases, was the music.

This soundtrack should go down in history.  Not just because it is wicked, but because it brought acts together that not even in my wildest of dreams I would have thought of matching up, i.e. Teenage Fanclub and De La soul.

Particularly, “Fallin’” is probably my favourite track.  Although I must say a have a penchant for “Just Another Victim”, by Helmet and House of Pain.  I love the heavy metal/rap transition.  ”…I’ll serve your ass like John MacEncroe”.  Cool.

So, kids, enjoy.

Cheers…

ALBUM – Anthology

ARTIST – Nina Simone

YEAR – 2003

In need of inspiration.

I was actually not gonna write anything today.  I don’t know, just didn’t feel like it.  But, as I was submerged in my work (actually just preparing a bunch of papers and memos) “My Baby Just Cares For Me” came on my iTunes playlist.

Inspiration!

So, here it is.  Sorry, here SHE is!

Could she be any cooler?!

Well, I usually write little meaningless stories, tales of random events from my life, so I’m thinking, now, should I do that today?

Musically, I have been inspired, cursively, not so much.

Regardless, I will leave you with a thought; something a friend told me earlier today.  Oh, fuck, I forgot…

Oh, I think it was something like “you take yourself too seriously, lighten the fuck up!”.

Cheers…

ALBUM – Firme

ARTIST - Voodoo Glow Skulls

YEAR – 1995

Fast, fast, fast.  Very fast-paced album.

Wicked!

Track 2 is ths shit!  “Closet, Clostet Monster Closet…”.

At the time I got this album, back in ’95, I was very much in to punk and ska.  Anything I could get my hands on.  The faster the better.

Cheers…

ALBUM -Vs

ARTIST – Pearl Jam

YEAR – 1993

Great album.

Their second, if memory serves me.

I remember watching the MTV Video Music Awards back in 1993 and they played “Animal”, prior to the album’s release.  I was, obviously, a big fan already.

Pearl Jam also played alongside Neil Young, remember “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World”?!

Pretty cool.

Cheers…

ALBUM -Pop Negro

ARTIST -El Guincho

YEAR -2010

Wonderful, delightful weekend in my hometown.  Sun, beach, bike, family, friends.

The album is good, the first track, “Bombay”, is the best.

A must see: Férias no Brasil and Bombay.

Hope you enjoy it.

Something reminiscent of my sunny-bike-beach-filled weekend in Rio.

Cheers…