Is it a mere coincidence that VD stands for both "Valentine's Day" and "venereal disease"? Similar to the case of THC (tollhouse cookies, tetrahydrocannabinol), I think not.
Had occasion to use the word "serendipitous" today, for probably the first time ever. Skipped out on it. Perhaps I will still use it today.
Speaking of which... word of the day:
inveigle- to persuade or obtain by ingenuity or flattery.
I was trying to think of a story to go with this word but I am too distracted. I just came back from my weekly cello lesson, and I have this impression that I'm really terrible at cello. Like HONESTLY, when I head out to my lesson every week, I literally imagine my cello instructor just absolutely dreading my lesson. Why do I do that? The number of things about which I feel this way leads me to believe it's all in my head, but I don't know what makes me do that.
Actually, today I kind of got the impression that I'm not really as bad as I think I am, but I don't know, he's a super nice guy and knows I've been feeling kind of down on my playing lately.
And actually he's really cool. Probably the coolest, in fact. He's the original hipster, I swear. He's probably in his 60s, and we're facebook friends (he's also quite active on facebook). His religious views are "gut strings" and his political views "utopian socialist." (Also, I hope he never reads this blog because this could potentially be creepy, but whatever.) Maybe that's why I'm so worried about sounding good. I never used to worry, but then again, my last cello teacher was an old lady who mostly talked about "mother." So I guess I didn't really care what she thought. And I never used to practice, and now I do... you'd think that would make me less worried about sounding good, but you'd be wrong.
Tonight we're watching The Seventh Seal in my film class. I once watched the first half but gave up on it. For some reason, I thought the film was super long and I'd sat through at least an hour and a half... but it must have actually been much less than that but just felt like a really long time, as the entire thing is only 100ish minutes.
My RA gave everybody in our hall a little valentine's day bag filled with a lollipop... and a condom. WHICH I WILL NOT BE USING. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME HOW SAD AND LONELY I AM ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
Well, not really, but actually kind of. And that was silly, she's just being nice.
This weekend is parents weekend. Wooo. Ugh. Perhaps I'll get a nice meal out of it.
Decided to write my final paper for Music 110 on film music. Or something more specific as that is what my teacher said he wanted. I can pick one composer to write about (I'd probably choose Morricone), or I could even watch movies about composers or several about one composer and compare them. I wonder if I could just do like... a few of my favorite soundtracks. What would I pick? Well, definitely The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Could I pick The Third Man, with a soundtrack composed entirely for the zither? 2001 or A Clockwork Orange would obviously be good choices as well... There Will Be Blood... Pulp Fiction... The Graduate (okay, now that's just cheating)... Maybe I could pick the new Alloy Orchestra soundtrack for Metropolis?
Pure musical genius:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PwpOmjAu1M
Went to the FilmForum screening last night, saw some really poignant shorts. My favorites were the first ("The Solitary Life of Cranes" by Eva Weber) and the last ("Get Out of the Car" by Thom Andersen). A few of the filmmakers were there, including Andersen, who was hilarious, because he seemed to not want to be there or answering questions.
The guy who gave us the tickets for the screening went to my high school. Actually, he was a senior when I was a freshman, and we were in the same prom limo. And he was prom king. But he didn't appear to recognize me. But seriously, what are the odds.
CURRENTLY READING: A History of Western Music, 8th ed.
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: The Octopus Project (Hello, Avalanche)
CURRENTLY WATCHING: The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman, 1957)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
A thought.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually as good as I think I am at pretending not to be heartbroken.
That is all.
That is all.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sufjan Stevens- Age of Adz
Age of Adz- Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty)
Most of us know Sufjan Stevens as a creator of mellow, indie-folk and orchestral rock, poetic ballads that frequently feature a softly plucked banjo or the soaring sounds of a violin. Those familiar with his music likely know his most popular album, Come on Feel the Illinoise, part of an undertaking by Stevens to write an album for each of the fifty states. With the release of Stevens’s newest album, The Age of Adz, it is clear that he has abandoned not only his states project, but also his entire approach to songwriting.
Released in November, The Age of Adz (pronounced “odds”) is an amalgam of musical styles and strays far from the acoustic, symphonic, lyrically-focused Sufjan we know. It opens in the familiar Sufjan style: softly sung lyrics over acoustic guitar, sprinkled with piano. But as the album progresses, it seems to grow conspicuously louder, bolder, brassier, more electronic, and less lyrical. The highlight of the album is the title track, a flawless hybrid of his newer and older styles: it utilizes some musical structure and instrumentation that alludes to his earlier works, in addition to electronic sounds and effects. The nadir of the album, on the other hand, is “Too Much.” A not-so-seamless attempt to synthesize an electronic aesthetic to his classic style, this track sounds clumsy and awkward. Another weak point is the final track, “Impossible Soul,” of which some parts are mesmerizing and others utterly painful. A valiant effort, this 25 minute piece features heavy use of effect pedals, synthesizers, what sounds like 8-bit tones, and (to my dismay) the autotune.
But where did this drastic change originate? The work of any young composer is bound to grow and evolve over time. Such change was foreshadowed by Stevens’ 2009 release, The BQE. Strictly instrumental, The BQE is a symphony dedicated to New York’s Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. In an interview with BeatRoute, Stevens said “[The BQE] kinda sabotaged the mechanical way of approaching my music.” However, although BQE shows musical growth, it does not apparently lead into Adz; in fact, Adz seems to share more similarities with Stevens’s previous albums. The explanation, says stevens, is that the new album was heavily influenced by an illness which affected his nervous system, leaving him unable to work on new music. “The Age of Adz, is, in some ways, a result of that process of working through health issues and getting much more in touch with my physical self. That's why I think the record's really obsessed with sensation and has a hysterical melodrama to it,” said Stevens in an interview with Exclaim!. In the same interview, he used words like “debilitating,” “confusing,” “bizarre,” and “mysterious,” to describe the experience, loaded words which make sense in the context of the new album.
Complex and multi-faceted, The Age of Adz is not for the casual listener (nor the Stevens purist). But, deep within Stevens’s new form is a uniquely beautiful musical product.
Most of us know Sufjan Stevens as a creator of mellow, indie-folk and orchestral rock, poetic ballads that frequently feature a softly plucked banjo or the soaring sounds of a violin. Those familiar with his music likely know his most popular album, Come on Feel the Illinoise, part of an undertaking by Stevens to write an album for each of the fifty states. With the release of Stevens’s newest album, The Age of Adz, it is clear that he has abandoned not only his states project, but also his entire approach to songwriting.
Released in November, The Age of Adz (pronounced “odds”) is an amalgam of musical styles and strays far from the acoustic, symphonic, lyrically-focused Sufjan we know. It opens in the familiar Sufjan style: softly sung lyrics over acoustic guitar, sprinkled with piano. But as the album progresses, it seems to grow conspicuously louder, bolder, brassier, more electronic, and less lyrical. The highlight of the album is the title track, a flawless hybrid of his newer and older styles: it utilizes some musical structure and instrumentation that alludes to his earlier works, in addition to electronic sounds and effects. The nadir of the album, on the other hand, is “Too Much.” A not-so-seamless attempt to synthesize an electronic aesthetic to his classic style, this track sounds clumsy and awkward. Another weak point is the final track, “Impossible Soul,” of which some parts are mesmerizing and others utterly painful. A valiant effort, this 25 minute piece features heavy use of effect pedals, synthesizers, what sounds like 8-bit tones, and (to my dismay) the autotune.
But where did this drastic change originate? The work of any young composer is bound to grow and evolve over time. Such change was foreshadowed by Stevens’ 2009 release, The BQE. Strictly instrumental, The BQE is a symphony dedicated to New York’s Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. In an interview with BeatRoute, Stevens said “[The BQE] kinda sabotaged the mechanical way of approaching my music.” However, although BQE shows musical growth, it does not apparently lead into Adz; in fact, Adz seems to share more similarities with Stevens’s previous albums. The explanation, says stevens, is that the new album was heavily influenced by an illness which affected his nervous system, leaving him unable to work on new music. “The Age of Adz, is, in some ways, a result of that process of working through health issues and getting much more in touch with my physical self. That's why I think the record's really obsessed with sensation and has a hysterical melodrama to it,” said Stevens in an interview with Exclaim!. In the same interview, he used words like “debilitating,” “confusing,” “bizarre,” and “mysterious,” to describe the experience, loaded words which make sense in the context of the new album.
Complex and multi-faceted, The Age of Adz is not for the casual listener (nor the Stevens purist). But, deep within Stevens’s new form is a uniquely beautiful musical product.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
And also
if I didn't know me, and I read this blog, I would probably hate me.
Does this make sense?
Also, I posted a picture of my own ass to student talk. (Or did I?)
CURRENTLY READING: NOTHING... I'm a failure :[
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major by LV Beethoven
[also: Hipster Girls by Lil B (Red Flame [Evil Edition])]
CURRENTLY WATCHING: Rashomon (1942, dir. Akira Kurosawa)
That's all, fuh reals.
Oh oh except tomorrow I'm actually going to post a CD review... GET STOKED.
This time, fuh reals fuh reals.
Does this make sense?
Also, I posted a picture of my own ass to student talk. (Or did I?)
CURRENTLY READING: NOTHING... I'm a failure :[
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major by LV Beethoven
[also: Hipster Girls by Lil B (Red Flame [Evil Edition])]
CURRENTLY WATCHING: Rashomon (1942, dir. Akira Kurosawa)
That's all, fuh reals.
Oh oh except tomorrow I'm actually going to post a CD review... GET STOKED.
This time, fuh reals fuh reals.
Friday, November 5, 2010
A late notice.
Dear dedicated readers of my blog (yes, all two of you),
Unfortunately my computer decided to die on me (what?! twice within a year and a half?! yeah, i know.) so I have not had a computer for almost a month. Or over a month. I'm not sure. Regardless, that is why I have stopped blogging.
However, in the interim, I have been journaling by hand. My initial plan was to eventually upload these handwritten entries to my blog, but the nature of writing by hand is so different from writing online that I fear my entries have become too weird/personal, so I don't know how many I'll actually post. But you've got that to look forward to, that is if you look forward to reading my posts (<3 Samuel <3).
At first when I lost my computer I would get really moody and weird at times... like technology withdrawal, or something. But now I don't even want my computer back. Computers are a barrier between people of our generation and reality, Facebook is super lame, email is for suckers. FUCK YOU, STUDENT TALK.
Well well well, can I update you on? I've decided to study abroad next semester at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. They've got a lot of film classes, so that should be neato! I still have to start the application though, which is due later this month... but I have the utmost confidence that I WILL GET THAT APPLICATION COMPLETED AND TURNED IN ON TIME!
(I should probably be working on that rather than blogging but... sacrifices must be made).
Also, I successfully dressed as Daria for Halloween.
Please watch Swimming to Cambodia.
I've seen some more bands recently as well... better keep up that list...
Octopus Project
Starfucker
Sufjan Stevens
Owen Pallett
and maybe Young the Giant tomorrow. But probably not.
I'm getting ready to pick my classes for next semester and I think I've decided on the following:
Special Topics in Music: Film Music
Rock and Roll Writing
Music in Western Civilization
Elementary Astronomy
Applied Keyboard Studies
NEAT.
Uhh... not too much else going on... Thanksgiving soon, that'll be exciting...
MMK I'll try to update more (or maybe get my computer fixed... maybe).
That is all.
CURRENTLY READING: Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film by Peter Biskind
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: The Blues are Still Blue by Belle and Sebastian (The Life Pursuit)
CURRENTLY WATCHING: Swimming to Cambodia (1987, dir. Jonathan Demme)
Unfortunately my computer decided to die on me (what?! twice within a year and a half?! yeah, i know.) so I have not had a computer for almost a month. Or over a month. I'm not sure. Regardless, that is why I have stopped blogging.
However, in the interim, I have been journaling by hand. My initial plan was to eventually upload these handwritten entries to my blog, but the nature of writing by hand is so different from writing online that I fear my entries have become too weird/personal, so I don't know how many I'll actually post. But you've got that to look forward to, that is if you look forward to reading my posts (<3 Samuel <3).
At first when I lost my computer I would get really moody and weird at times... like technology withdrawal, or something. But now I don't even want my computer back. Computers are a barrier between people of our generation and reality, Facebook is super lame, email is for suckers. FUCK YOU, STUDENT TALK.
Well well well, can I update you on? I've decided to study abroad next semester at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. They've got a lot of film classes, so that should be neato! I still have to start the application though, which is due later this month... but I have the utmost confidence that I WILL GET THAT APPLICATION COMPLETED AND TURNED IN ON TIME!
(I should probably be working on that rather than blogging but... sacrifices must be made).
Also, I successfully dressed as Daria for Halloween.
Please watch Swimming to Cambodia.
I've seen some more bands recently as well... better keep up that list...
Octopus Project
Starfucker
Sufjan Stevens
Owen Pallett
and maybe Young the Giant tomorrow. But probably not.
I'm getting ready to pick my classes for next semester and I think I've decided on the following:
Special Topics in Music: Film Music
Rock and Roll Writing
Music in Western Civilization
Elementary Astronomy
Applied Keyboard Studies
NEAT.
Uhh... not too much else going on... Thanksgiving soon, that'll be exciting...
MMK I'll try to update more (or maybe get my computer fixed... maybe).
That is all.
CURRENTLY READING: Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film by Peter Biskind
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: The Blues are Still Blue by Belle and Sebastian (The Life Pursuit)
CURRENTLY WATCHING: Swimming to Cambodia (1987, dir. Jonathan Demme)
Saturday, October 2, 2010
An oath.
I was thinking about how absurd it is that we pose for pictures. I mean, in the way we do. Everyone huddles together and smiles, for the most part, and it's like. When you look back, you're still going to know if that was a fake smile. Remember school pictures in elementary school? And the vision and hearing tests? That was fun.
From now on I am not going to smile in pictures. Even if I'm having the time of my life.
My birthday is in two days!
I like to write on these what I'm currently reading/listening to/watching, because i feel like it keeps me reading/listening/watching more. And I should be doing more of all of those things, in addition to writing more, which is kind of what the blog's for.
No word of the day because I hate smiling in pictures.
That is all.
CURRENTLY READING: The Story of Pygmalian and the Statue by Ovid
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Weird Science by Oingo Boingo (Dead Man's Party)
CURRENTLY WATCHING: My So-Called Life, season 1
From now on I am not going to smile in pictures. Even if I'm having the time of my life.
My birthday is in two days!
I like to write on these what I'm currently reading/listening to/watching, because i feel like it keeps me reading/listening/watching more. And I should be doing more of all of those things, in addition to writing more, which is kind of what the blog's for.
No word of the day because I hate smiling in pictures.
That is all.
CURRENTLY READING: The Story of Pygmalian and the Statue by Ovid
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Weird Science by Oingo Boingo (Dead Man's Party)
CURRENTLY WATCHING: My So-Called Life, season 1
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