Cinnamon Cheesecake Chimichanga...

well, i guess it's time for my first post of 2011!!! this weekend has been great, what, with OU beating UCONN and then me getting two new tattoos. what you say??? YES!!! i got some new ink!!! i now have a total of six tats!!!

my arms aren't usually that dirty lookin'...


ok, so yeah, they might seem cheesy as all get out, but seriously, these two characters are the very first tats i ever wanted. i decided on these back when i was in high school. on my left arm is the bear logo from Radiohead and on my right is the White Pony symbol from the Deftones. these two bands changed my life and got me through some tough times, so i just wanted to show my love. heh heh, i'd forgotten how narly getting tattoos were...

movin' on, i have big plans already in mind for the start of 2011. first off, and most importantly, i want to get better. i've been sick since my last year of college and i'm very tired of it. i'm going to work extra hard on getting healthy and in shape and allowing myself to enjoy life more often. that includes going out, hanging with friends and possibly dating. (if i'm ever so lucky...)

another big plan, and one i've mentioned quite a few times here, is moving. i'm starting my application tomorrow and i'm a bit nervous, but i need to do this. i have to move out of here. i need my own life away from my family's close contact. not to say i'm moving to stay away forever, no. it's just that i need my freekin' space ya know??? shoot, i can't even blast my music here without someone having a conniption fit...

so anyways, here's to the new year and all the exciting things that might be happening!!! oh, and here's to The Roots, for being the music choice on today's post!!!



some might think i completely ignore the Hip-Hop/rap genre, and i can understand that. so far it's been slim pickin's on this here blog. so today i want to change that and post on my ultimate favorite Hip-Hop group, the roots. this crew started back in 1987 and has primarily consisted of founding members, tariq, "black thought" trotter and ahmir, "?uestlove" thompson. they hail from philadelphia, pennsylvania and are considered to be one of Hip-Hop's most cherished and acclaimed acts.

take note that this isn't the same kind of rap music like Lil' Wayne or Lil' Jon. (do those guys even make rap music???) this is straight up soul music. well, i consider it soul, or at least neo-soul. these cats mix in r&b/blues/folk and jazz. oh, and what made me like them in the first place is for the fact that they play their own instruments. yes, this was my first look at a live Hip-Hop group instead of some studio produced mc wannabe. the roots have awesome talent and it shows throughout their long recorded career. i got the chance to see them at Coachella 2007 and they rocked it. awesome set and awesome band. if you like artists such as Mos Deff, Talib kweli, Erika Badu, Maxwell, A Tribe Called Quest and Jill Scott, then you will surely like the roots.



like i said, they have a long recorded career, so i'm going to try my best to post their entire discography here. in first place is their self released debut full length, Organix!. after that came their first release on a major label, which was the ep, From The Ground Up. after that they released their critically acclaimed full length album on a major label called, Do You Want More?!!!??!. next came their second album, Illadelph Halflife, then their most cherished work, Things Fall Apart. (named after the novel of the same name by Chinua Achebe...) shortly after they released The Legendary ep, then their first live album simply called, The Roots Come Alive. (that was actually the first thing i ever listened to by them...) after that the band took some time off and then came back to start their musical takeover in the 2000's. so, first off in 2002, they released the album, Phrenology. following that is the album, The Tipping Point, then Game Theory. the final two albums to list are, Rising Down and How I Got Over and that's about it. oh, and i purposefully left out their live collaboration with Jay-Z and then their latest collaboration with John Legend because i just want the focus to be on them. so, with that i hope you like this and keep an open mind. ah, and be sure to catch them be the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. enjoy!!!


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FHG5M760


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V5H2SK7Z


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RP83I5NW


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BLI7Q538


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QFQ947K1


http://hotfile.com/dl/91759744/0f43baa/6168.zip.html


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TKDXVZNU


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=B0JP0294


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JH5Z1HTX


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FV1L0ESQ


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GKNL3KI3


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V13H6XY0



get some soul...

Hit the nail on the head...

*this post was written yesterday, but not published till today since the computer at my house is sick with viruses...*

i’m enjoying the sudden coldness that’s sweeping across oklahoma. the chilly air feels nice against my lungs and through my nose. sleeping in a cold bed, only to become warm by your own body heat is one of my favorite things. if i had to choose a permanent weather, i’d choose this kind. i say this mostly because i love wearing long sleeve shirts and sweaters. also, my jackets look friggin’ awesome yo!!!

well, i guess the tone for this post is different than the last one as you may have noticed. if not, they you don’t pay enough attention!!! anyway, i’d like to share a bit of my past with you. there was this one time when i almost died. i must have been about eleven or twelve when it happened. i was living in these crummy apartments with my dad back then, and for fun, i’d rollerblade all over the place. (i was a big Mighty Ducks fan…) well, on this particular day i was getting close to the edge of the parking lot, which ended near this sort of half pipe ditch. on the other side was a local middleclass suburban neighborhood, closed in by an old wooden fence. i wanted to skate the ditch walls, so i attempted by stepping in. instantly my feet rolled out from under me and i fell flat on my face. my large head (without a helmet…) slammed onto a wooden board that fell from the fence. it all hurt and sucked badly, but what caught my attention was the large nail sticking out from the board. my head was nearly half a foot away from landing on it.

i wasn’t one for thinking of death a lot back then, but this matter changed my life. i took close notice and my thoughts began to sketch out different situations on which i could die. i must have sat there for over 30 minutes, just staring at the board and then around the location. everything in my life at that moment seemed pointless. i lost what was left of my carefree innocence, and from then on i subject everything to my own personal motion. and what that means is, nothing can be simple anymore. it has become complicated and i make it that way. there is now a creeping feeling of something bad happening. i’ve had this issue ever since…

it’s weird though. i’ve been in cars wrecks and tornados, but this one little incident set the course for the things to come. ugh, maybe i’m just exaggerating, or better yet, writing this for attention and i just don’t know it, but regardless, it feels good to mention this little tid bit of my life. maybe its all for future reference when aliens take over and they need to know some of our human history. yeah!!! they’ll read my blog and discover a human who has some serious issues and who also really REALLY likes music. maybe then they will appreciate the Deftones, Joy Division, American Football, My Bloody Valentine and Nick Drake as much as me…

gliding through the archives of music out there, occasionally i’ll stumble upon something new that instantly makes me love it. new music is often harder for me to like than the old, so this was an exception that took strong presence over the past few months. this new music i speak of goes by the name, Teengirl Fantasy.

this is an electronic duo that consists of dudes named, nick weiss and logan takahashi. they currently go to college in ohio, but have taken time off to tour and make their music. they have blown up over the past year in blogs and independent music sites like pitchfork and stereogum. what they make is nothing new for the electronic genre, but it sure is a breath of fresh air. the duo mix and sample old school soul with trance like flourishes. it all meshes together quite nicely and makes for interesting and relaxing moments. they recently released their debut album, 7AM and it has made me a huge fan. songs like, “cheater’s” “four to floor” and “vibes” showcase young talent that is almost ready to take over. it’s a good example of the so called, “laptop” music that seems real easy to make nowadays. if you like such artists as, Gold Panda, James Blake, Matthew Dear, Toro Y Moi and old school electronica nobles, The Chemical Brothers, Orbital, The Future Sound of London and The Crystal Method, then you will be at home here with teengirl fantasy.

so, now that you know it, why don't you try it??? right here you will find some of their self released demos and then their debut full length, 7AM. dig it...

http://www.mediafire.com/?15y4nuvqzdi

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P1XWP13Y



oh boy...

Standing In The Sea...

wow, as i type this the time is 7:41 am. that’s freekin’ early for me on a weekday!!! i can’t help it though. my car is sick and dying. the poor thing is up in the years and getting weaker by the day. yesterday the old security system that was factory installed, decided to mess with me after church by not letting me leave. i couldn’t get the darn thing started, so after having my dad come over there and trying to fix it, we both decided to leave it and continue the next day. this is the reason i’m up so early. anyway, it’s not so bad i guess. i'm gonna escape with dad at lunch time to go fix it, so that means i get a few hours off possibly. possibly maybe…

i’m sooooooo tired, that i can’t properly decide on who i want to post about for music today. hmm… let’s shuffle around and see what comes up!!! (one minute… two minutes… three minutes… four minutes… google search… doughnut eating… coffee drinking… still google searching… YES!!!) alrighty, here’s an awesome band called, TV on the Radio.

tv on the radio is a unique indie rock band from brooklyn, new york. they formed back in 2001 and are currently on a year or so hiatus while members pursue other projects. The music they create, to me, is best described as, indie/post-punk/electronic/lo-fi/dream pop/shoegaze. it’s an all around awesome style, and not to forget, but they also incorporate a bit of jazz and soul as well.

i first heard of these guys while watching this show on mxtxvx called, Subterranean. the music video for their song, “staring at the sun” was shown and it made for a fuzzy memory, but one i couldn’t help remembering. i recall looking up the video on the internet and being drawn to it’s lo-fi power and ambiance. that was that, and i’ve been a fan ever since. oh, and i got the awesome opportunity to see them open at a Nine Inch Nails show, which was an experience in itself...

now, for the tunes we have a good amount of things to post, but nowhere near as many as last time. first up is their hard to find, self released album, OK Calculator. (a play on the amazing, Radiohead album...) next we have their first ep and it's called, Young Liars. after that we move to their real, official debut, which is called, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. next is their wonderful follow up titled, Return to Cookie Mountain, then finally, we end with their latest called, Dear Science. that's that then there though the thing thinks thoughts that they thrash thump them thingamabobs...


http://www.mediafire.com/?ckyktmzwtyi


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=69FLRU19


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=831Q7QUA


http://www.mediafire.com/?l4dwmztmnrg


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7SBIR0P0



your mouth is open wide...

Froggy...

the state fair has been happening these past two weeks and it’s coming to the end of it’s run. i got to enjoy it last thursday, so it’s not like i missed it or something. still, i would like to go again. i really had a good time and the moments with my family were memorable. the food was awesome as well, which it usually always is. (i left that night with a large cinnamon roll!!!) we played some games, rode some rides and exhausted ourselves silly. i believe i slept good that night too. i was even able to make it to work the next day, rather reluctantly. will i go again??? that’s a good question. i have no idea as of right now…

oh, and to add to the mix, i’ve been sick as well. my sinuses are making this difficult and the end results are grotesque. my nose is dripping with snot and it’s moving faster than the river of slime from Ghostbusters 2. i describe my head as being caught in a fish bowl, sloshing around and hitting the sides. my eyes are burning and my nose is raw from using paper towels instead of tissue. all in all, not one of my better weeks, but much much more better than having an extreme cold or flu. and oh yeah, lastly, my voice sounds like Tom Waits.

tom waits is the man!!! he’s one of music’s most beloved icon’s and has garnered himself a very large fan base. waits started in the music biz around 1972 and has been going strong ever since. he rarely tours, and if and when he does, it’s magical and also funny. his music, best described by me, is folk punk, mixed with some jazzy persuasion and industrial harshness. yeah, really, that’s about right. heck, the guy’s been around for so long, he’s bound to experiment with something other than just rock right??? anyway, he’s an artist as well as an actor, having appeared in such movies as, Wristcutters: A Love Story, Mystery Men, Coffee and Cigarettes, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Domino. he is also the victor in many lawsuits for copyright infringement. these are a funny addition to his already strong history. but ugh, i just wish i went to see him on his last tour. he came to tulsa and i totally skipped out…

now i know i’m not the best when it comes to tom waits knowledge, but i do believe i’ve got some skillz here. i, myself, own several of his most beloved albums and it’s my wish to continue the collection starting with today’s massive post. you see, not only am i going to post my personal faves, i’m also going to post all the rest!!! oh, and just so you know, a few of these albums are in the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums Ever Made list.

okay, so to speed through this huge discography, i'm just going to list the albums and make minor notes on my favorites. also, just to be clear, i'm leaving out most of the compilation albums since they are mostly attempts at greatest "hits" collections, and tom isn't really a "hit" maker per se. right, so we first start off with the debut album, Closing Time, then follow that with my favorite of his called, The Heart of Saturday Night. if you happen to like that old dirty, smokey feeling of loneliness and desire, then you will probably dig that album. next in line are the following: Nighthawks at the Diner, Small Change, Foreign Affairs, Blue Valentine and Heartattack and Vine. this album features the song, "jersey girl" which was made popular by Bruce Springsteen. this was also his last album on the asylum label. after that we have the soundtrack for the film, One From the Heart, which got him an academy award nomination, and then two very awesome albums back-to-back called, Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs. the latter album has the song, "downtown train" which became a #2 hit for Rod Stewart. bleh... and so, we move along and come to the album, Franks Wild Years, Big Time (a live album), The Early Years: Volume 1, the soundtrack to the film, Night on Earth, and then the amazing, Bone Machine, for which he won the grammy that year for best alternative music album. following in pursuit are the albums, The Early Years: Volume 2, The Black Rider, and my second favorite tom waits album, Mule Variations. this album is ranked at number 416 in the rolling stone top 500 and it also won the grammy for best contemporary folk album. and then, finally, we come to the last albums which are, Blood Money, Alice, Real Gone, the three disc compilation of b-sides and rarities, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards and then his latest release, Glitter and Doom Live, which is a live album of his most recent and possibly last tour from 2008. PHEW!!! i'm out of breathe almost, and i bet you all are too. this was a huge post, so thanks for all your patience on getting here. (sorry for the weird spacing below...) i hope you all enjoy this wonderful talent at hand and with that, it's time for me to blow my nose and rub my eyes once again...

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4DOCQYC4

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FVSLZIMR

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IHWTBBQP

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YE2A202D

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OOULH6GU

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FRJDL54W

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C1QVDLO3

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8WXMR9DU

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http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R38071EM

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NBXAKQ06

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KDYHEJ5S

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1WTB6SVE

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2CWA6B1M

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AEZGJ07H

http://www.csoftcorp.com/wMGFlMjU5NmRlNzcxNTFiMW/Tom-Waits.The-Early-Years-Vol.-2.flac.html

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=34LC2MBE

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MPRZX5M4

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J2XBLJHT

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GS209DZ9

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3Q8IWBIH

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HCKUXT33 (disc 1)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DURZCTYI (disc 2)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=92II717V (disc 3)

http://www.mediafire.com/?q0v1kjdgenn (disc 1)
http://www.mediafire.com/?omgzjmzvjnz (disc 2)



wow, this really is a long post...

Why Not...

i know it's late, but i'm planning on spending most of wednesday hitting the stores and getting some supplies. first i'm going to be placing my order for a new pair of glasses. the frames need to be checked and double checked for my convenience because the one's i've had these past few years have been digging into my nose and leaving bruises. next is finding a decent pair of shoes. the only shoe store i frequent is journeys and they are found at most malls, so i don't think there will be a problem with that. once i'm done with my feet covers it's on to under garments. i think some tank tops and boxer briefs are in order. and then finally, it's off to my grandma's for lunch, or dinner, and then church. topping the whole night off will be a new episode of Top Chef and maybe some braums ice cream. (i like to make lists and check things off one-at-a-time. yeah, i know i'm a dork...)

i want to take a side trip with today's music selection. this performing artist is held at number 65 in rolling stone's 100 Greatest Artists of all Time. he's made people fall in love and cry for those they've lost. here is Al Green to sing for you and make things better.



al green is loved by most native american's and that's a fact. he's actually loved by many, but i just like to single out my native people instead. you see, i grew up listening to this man's subtle, yet elegant voice. he was spinning on vinyl before i could walk and is still played by me and my mother today. he's much older now, but the spirit's still there and rollin' on. (thanks mom!!!)

al green started his career in music around 1967 or so. he quickly rose to fame with hit songs like, "i can't get next to you" "i'm so tired of being alone" "let's stay together" and "i'm still in love with you". after a terrible accident with his estranged girlfriend, mary woodson who commited suicide after al refused to wed her, he changed his lifestyle and went on to preach and sing gospel music. this became a part of his legacy up until he reentered r&b during the 80's. and like i said before, the man is still kickin' it old school and singing to his hearts content. he was actually here in oklahoma last month. (i should have gone...) if you like classic rhythm and blues singers like Marvin Gaye, James Brown, The Temptations, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, then you most certainly will love mr al green.

today you only need one album to start with and that's Al Green's Greatest Hits. this album is ranked at number 52 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of all Time. it contains a fountain of wealth in music. it's an instant classic and one of the best hits compilations since Bob Marley's Legend album. dig it slowly...


http://www.mediafire.com/?onu5ijrzjge (part 1)
http://www.mediafire.com/?qlmjt0z2hml (part 2)



i'm so tired (literally)...

I see a light come shinin'...

my little brother got bit by a spider, a brown recluse to be exact. (fiddle back) it's on his side, just below the left arm. the poor little guy is in pain, but mostly scared from the treatment he has to have. my mom puts some sort of burning medication on the bites which causes them to build up (they look like pimples) and then she pops them, or rubs them in order for the puss to clean out. it's a tricky process, only made that way by my brother's sheer terror of the pain that comes from the burning. i've been bitten by a spider, but not a fiddle back. i asked her how he was bitten, but it's up in the air. those little creeps can dwell anywhere and it would be no surprise if he was bitten in bed or at recess. i was bitten in bed by a spider once as well. it was horrible, not because of the pain, but because it was a freekin' SPIDER!!! one of my biggest fears in the entire universe and all existence is spiders. there's just something about how they creep along slowly or fast like, and then how they become motionless like statues when waiting to pounce on their prey. their colors and shape as well as names and habitats really get under my skin. i've had many moments of hyperventilating when confronted unexpectedly by those demon insects. spiders aren't really great company here. i always think they're sent here to spy on me, or us...

making our way to thursday this week, we come to another classic 60's group. here is, The Band.



this canadian by-way-of new york, rock group is one of the best remembered 60's musical acts to ever exist. (1965-1976) considered highly amongst critics and other fellow musicians, the band were great makers of americana music that spoke to the generation at the time as well as those who followed. originally the backing band for Bob Dylan, the band began work on their own music in 1966-1968 after dylan was injured in a motorcycle accident. during this time, they would contribute to the now famous, bob dylan Basement Tapes, album.

in 1968, their first album titled, Music From Big Pink, was released to the public. the name comes from the pink house they rented to make the album. it was critically acclaimed, and the song titled, "the weight" was used in the crappy 60's film i hate so much called, Easy Rider. (i just hate bikers...) they were not to be pegged with the popular psychedelic genre at the time, and instead chose a more laid back, folk/soul style approach to their music.



during this time, (1969) the band would tour in support of big pink and make appearances at woodstock and isle of wright in england with dylan again. also in the same year, the band went back to the studio and recorded their self titled masterpiece. this would become their biggest charting album to date, and it contains many of their most recognized songs. their music at this time stood on contrast to what was popular, and with that i give them much credit. inspired by such artistic quality, Eric Clapton, even changed his style and came back with a more focused and less experimental approach. this was seen in other artists as well, like bob dylan and The Byrds and even today's modern artists like those in the alt-country genre. bands like, Lucero, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Drag the River, Colexico and Wilco all share some resemblance to this classic group.

yep yep yep, it seems music can be as good as another, but it takes guts to truly make it great. the band happened to be one such act. today you will will find those first two albums that i've mentioned already, oh and just to mention it for my sake, both albums ranked #34 and #45 in Rolling Stones Top 500 Greatest Albums Ever Made. dig it...


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=67SST9H3


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8MQLHJR1



i shall be released...