Green Chili...

things seem to be spreading about in the schuyler camp. i'm enjoying the sudden change in attitude and lifestyle. i feel as if the next step is upon me finally and i can move on from this basement of shame and depression. ugh, just thinking about my past makes me sick to my stomach, but amazingly, i can now look upon it with an academic sort of mind frame. a history lesson in what not to do i suppose. and gratefully i now have somebody close that can make the days better and turn my mind away from such awful feelings and thoughts. (big shout out to miss kristy!!!)

she caught me at a vulnerable moment...


ok ok, enough with that cheese. i want to go to norman and buy some lp's for my new vinyl collection that i'm wanting to start, so let's get this music thing over with. in recent email correspondence, i've been given the chance to review a new artist and their debut album, so let's get going with the duo known as, Night Surgeon.



from the press release sent with the cd i got in the mail, it says that these guys hail from portland, oregon and i'm thinking, started around 2000 something. eh, sorry for not knowing the exact date of inception, but these cats are a little hard to find. of course don't let that keep you from checking them out!!! their music is pleasantly surprising. now, based off what the press release has quoted, these guys have been compared to artists like, Depeche Mode. Cut Copy and Placebo. i can get behind those and agree. lead singer patrick replogle does have a similar vocal style that can remind one of brian molko, but i don't want to stop just there. often when listening to music, i end up thinking of many artists all at once. i like to try and pinpoint where certain musicians sit in between those who have already established themselves. to go a bit further, i'd say i was reminded of roland gift from Fine Young Cannibals. yes, that band FYC. no seriously, his vocal style reminded me of roland and i find that an awesome link. replogle does the glitchy music justice, while not relying to heavily on studio distortion for his vocals which often can hamper down the tunes. i want to see this performed live now!!!

oh, and let's not forget john boyd who supplies the live drums and piano. combined with patrick's live guitars and synths, the duo creates a miss mash of this past decade's better moments. there's traces of techno/dance as well as new wave synths and chiptune/mega man blasting through robot bag guys type of jams. saying these guys are just like similar indie pop acts Passion Pit and Owl City, would be a slap in the face i'd say. (no, i didn't compare them to those two. i read that somewhere...) night surgeon is their own unique sound and style and by golly, it freekin' works!!!

while jammin' through their entire debut album, Day for Night, i was taken aback by the crisp, yet clean production. this comes courtesy of studio wiz, gabriel espinosa, who has worked with artists such as Blondie and Fischerspooner. the music follows simple, yet dynamic patterns that rush the listener along as if they were riding tidal waves. the atmosphere is calming, but with just the right amount of rushing and free falling that it can get you caught up in the moment. if i had to make any complaints, i'd say it comes from the repetitiveness of a few songs. they do seem to follow the same sort of rhythm and style, but this isn't a major, nor a terrible issue because thankfully we have the slower tracks, which in my opinion, are the albums best kept secrets. track three, "roman error" and track six "better to be young" are my faves. this is where the fyc comparisons took root. also, if you've ever jammed Yeasayer's latest effort, Odd Blood, you will find solace here if that hasn't happened yet.

overall, i'd say this debut warrants a strong listen and if i had to rank it, i'd give it an 8/10. do pay attention because this is something refreshing and hopefully useful when it comes to making a choice between good music and bad music. night surgeon = good!!! owl city = baaaaadddddd... oh, and i also want to give a big shout out to patrick for sending me an advanced copy of the album and for getting me in on the know. please visit their myspace to jam the tunes and grab this album when it drops on february 15, 2011.


https://www.box.net/shared/static/n00chkro8c.mp3
http://www.myspace.com/nightsurgeonpdx
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Night-Surgeon/103439243048888
toodarkrecords@gmail.com

video coming soonish i hope...

meep meep meep...

Let old aquaintance be forgot...

this is the last post for 2010. it's been a very strange and rough year for me. for your sake, i'm not going to spend this time telling you about my problems for once. everybody has problems, so i'm nothing special. anyway, like i said, it's been a strange year. hopefully i will make 2011 a better one. i need more focus and understanding in my life. i can't see clearly right now...

wait, please don't think that all was terrible. there were still some amazing moments i had and christmas this year happened to be one of them. i'm still happy that my family all got together and managed to not kill each other.

me and my little cousins from houston. i'm sooooo glad they came to visit!!!


oh, and just for fun, here's some top ten lists that have no purpose other than to fill out space. first off is a top ten list of music that made the year better.

10. toro y moi - causers of this
9. phoenix - wolfgang amadeus phoenix
8. weezer - pinkerton
7. j dilla - doughnuts
6. flying lotus - cosmogramma
5. yeasayer - odd blood
4. best coast - crazy for you
3. boys life - departures and landfalls
2. the jazz june - the medicine
1. deftones - diamond eyes

next is a top ten list of movies. (i love these!!!)

10. how to train your dragon
9. despicable me
8. black swan
7. 127 hours
6. true grit
5. the social network
4. scott pilgrim vs the world
3. toy story 3
2. harry potter and the deathly hallows
1. inception

and lastly, here is a random list of things that happened in 2010. these either annoyed me, or i loved them. (you'll have to guess which one!!!) regardless, it was a LONG year...

- having a seizure from medication...
- going to concerts
- watching inception for the first time and realizing that movies can still be good
- hearing a new deftones album
- going to ada and being told i could have potential thyroid problems...
- being in the christmas play and loving every minute of it
- almost being fired from work for making a jab at obama...
- getting a job that pays well
- keeping my blog alive
- powwow dancing
- falls creek
- new clothes
- the jersey shore...
- christmas get togethers
- seeing my cousins from houston
- writing
- getting some little music reviews published on punknews.org
- sushi
- ex girlfriend dreams...
- car trouble...
- sickness...
- sleepiness...
- dreams of moving

the year will be over in a several hours, so i'm gonna leave this with you. thanks everyone for reading this blog of mine and for showing interest in whatever it is i write. just the fact that some people might be taking the time to read my writing makes it all worth it. over the course of the next few weeks i will hopefully be moving out of my dad's and into my own place. wish me luck on that!!! so, have a great new years and stay safe tonight. don't let the cops sniff you and keep away from huffing, or whatever the kids are doing these days...

...

WAIT!!! what about the music yo??? right right... okay, so here's Daft Punk ya goons!!!



i just figured that daft punk would fit in with the new years celebrations. right, so daft punk is a electronica house duo from paris, france that formed back in 1993. they are held up in high regards and are considered the pioneers in the french house genre. they have received critical acclaim all over the world for their catchy singles and amazing live shows.

in 2006 daft punk headlined the dance tent at coachella and instantly became one the best live acts in the world. seriously, their live shows became an instant success and thrilled many people across the globe. just recently the duo has completed the Tron Legacy soundtrack to the film of the same name. it's a mostly instrumental affair, but fans love it nonetheless.



daft punk always make me happy and take me back to a time when i was young and music became a forefront to adventurous new horizons. (late night mxtxvx and such were my outlets...) yep yep yep, so here is some music to make you dance and enjoy yourself. don't waste it!!!

first place in their disco the amazing debut album, Homework. next is my personal favorite which is the album, Discovery. after that is their third album, Human After All, and then their Alive 2007 album. lastly is the newly released soundtrack album, Tron Legacy. get in on the fun and dig it...


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T43I81PW


http://www.mediafire.com/?jqynn1ymn2u


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T58A0RA0


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7RFLDD45


http://www.mediafire.com/?yey40kai64b7kv3



happy new year...

The McRib Is Back...

currently searching for mcrib locations in oklahoma has proved to be useless since they are nowhere close to me. i could drive all the way to el reno, but eh... today is saturday and i'm feelin' pretty good. i think i'll go down to norman and spend some time at the outlet mall. maybe i could find a new sweater or something. oh, and our beloved oklhoma sooners play today at 6pm, so that's going to be awesome. aw, just a relaxing day. next week will be a bit crazy though, because the new Call of Duty goes on sale tuesday, so i'm going to have to bunker down and sit through yet another midnight release. oh well, it's just the life of a gamer/total NERD.

and one more thing, i'm currently in the process of looking for a place to live. well, i still have my dad's, but what i meant to say was, "i'm looking for my own home." i'd actually like to have a loft, and that's not because i attended art school and look all moody and such. naw, it's just that i totally dig that industrial look and the open space would be awesome. i would probably have enough room to practice my powwow dancing and to have underground boxing matches!!! uh, yeah...

okay, so i want to get this over with quickly because i'm burning daylight. today's music post comes courtesy of HYPE. you know what hype is don't ya??? well, this is something most music buffs consider hype, but whatever. it's pretty cool stuff and it comes from a three piece known as, Salem.



alright, now bare with me because this might blow your mind. or maybe not... so, salem is a band from traverse city, michigan that formed in 2006. they pretty much started an entire genre with their debut ep. this genre is floating around the internets at a rapid pace. it's known as witchhouse, or drag. heck, i've even heard it called, crunk shoegaze, darkwave, industrial and what have you. as you can probably see, i've posted a tone of labels for this band and rightfully so. the thing is, i hate labeling music and arranging it into all these genre's from nowadays. still, this group kinda sorta needs this in order for people to get the point. OK, to make this more simple, i'm going to say it's chopped and screwed post-punk. yes, that's basically what it is. it's gothic and punk, rock and pop. this melting pot of styles makes for an interesting, yet subdued quality that i honestly find addicting. of course, i'm a music geek who loves almost everything, so this is right up my alley. here, listen to the song "dirt" below for a quick taste...

SALEM - DIRT from ACEPHALE on Vimeo.

this music had the right amount of drugged out bliss that makes me sleepy, yet intrigued. it's a matter of finding something you like in certain things that let's you explore a bit further. now this type of mentality can make things hard for you, like drugs for instance, so don't use this idea for everything under the sun. i'm mostly referring to the music yo!!!

so, it's time to wrap this up. i think i have their entire disco up to this point so let's get started shall we??? in first place is their debut ep, Yes, I Smoke Crack. this was originally released back in 2008 and quickly gained an underground following. suddenly, tons and tons of independent artists have sprung up doing the same sort of thing. seriously!!! if you don't believe me, type witchhouse on google and see for yourself!!! anyway, after that is the Water ep, followed by their first seven inch single Ohk/Sweat (I). after that is their next seven inch Frost/Legend and then their full length debut, King Night. the debut is awesome stuff and need's to be played loudly and with good bass. so there you go, try this and dig something entirely different.


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


http://www.mediafire.com/?myyeyiim3wk


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


http://www.mediafire.com/?254dmjmdmty


http://www.mediafire.com/?h1255o5hhvod2ac



i need a mcrib...

Shake, Shake, Shake...

well now, it seems my home state of oklahoma has been hit by an earthquake this morning. while i sat at my desk, i felt the sudden rattle of the ceiling tiles. this, coupled along with the rumble of the building made me think it was simply the air conditioners acting up. bbbbbbuuuuuuuuuuttttttt, this was NOT the case people. nope nope!!! Yeah, like i said, we had a freekin’ EARTHQUAKE!!! you know how many of those we get??? NONE!!! at least none that i had felt… so, as you might have guessed, this was the talk by the water cooler today. oh, and not to forget, those poor miners trapped underground over in chile were also a topic, so all in all, it’s been an eventful day. to top it all, my car wouldn’t start once again during my lunch break, so i guess that means it’s officially the most thought provoking day since forever.

in other news, i just recently purchased the new Medal of Honor game for my ps3. to be quite frank, i love this game!!! no, seriously, i’m not trying to kid myself or you because of all the awkward feedback it’s been getting. this is not, Call of Duty, and i don’t think it ever was meant to be. it’s medal of honor, and it’s a classic series that i’ve been playing since the late 90’s. i own every single release except for two games, so i think i know what i’m talking about here. i’m just glad i didn’t go into this wanting it to be like call of duty. that there is something i’m proud of because it didn’t set me up just to let me fall. to get to the point here, the game is awesome in a lot of ways. the story is gritty and seems to take itself a bit more seriously. it’s mature through and through. also, sure, the graphics could have used a bit more polish, but that’s doesn’t effect my overall opinion on it. the gameplay is top notch, with just the right amount of comparison to call of duty and the Battlefield series. and as for the multiplayer, i find it to be a nice change of pace. the matches are intense and very fast paced, but that doesn’t knock it down any. there is a good sense of accomplishment that comes from getting several kills in a row without dying and once you do, you can up the ante with awesome effects like mortars and air power. this, all collected with a solid ranking system, makes for a fun experience, and an alternative to playing call of duty so darn much. this time, i actually feel like i’m doing something with skill rather than luck. how about that huh???

the season is changing a bit more. nice cold weather is starting to stir up and hit our faces here, and that’s what i’m excited about. i LOVE the winter and find that wearing thick sweaters and jackets more fun that tank tops and shorts. nothing wrong with summer, but just in my personal tastes, winter is more relaxing. snuggling up in bed when the sheets and blanket are cold, then finally falling asleep when they become warm from my own body is soothing and hypnotic. waking up in the morning and seeing my breath mix with the outside elements is memorizing. slinging on my worn in boots and zipping up my thick wooly jacket is a fun routine, as well as sitting in the car waiting for the windows to de-fog and the seats to get warm. yep, the chilly atmosphere creates this little alternate world that envelopes my every being and compliments my feelings and personality. it might seem depressing to some, but eh.

oh, and you know what??? since this change will come quicker than the booting of our current president, we better get out those final summer jams!!! i think this might be one of the last few for a while, but who knows. so, for one more warm night, let’s hang with Neon Indian.

neon indian, is a chillwave/psychedelic act from denton, texas that started back in 2008. the group was founded by alan palomo as a side project to his work in Ghosthustler and VEGA. the music of neon indian is rooted in psychedelic pop, but also electronic flourishes and noise music. it has a touch of dream pop and synth styles as well. like his peers, Toro Y Moi, Wavves, Best Coast, MGMT, Washed Out and Panda Bear, neon indian is a part of that summer of 2009/2010 chillwave craze that swept the internets, but that shouldn’t discredit them. this music is sexy as well as freak-out crazy. there is a good amount of awesome contained in this young band, so don’t go without trying!!!

and as for trying, here's is the debut album, Psychic Chasms. this was a big release and one of pitchforks more popular albums of 2009. the band toured their butts off on it, hitting the summer festivals and opening for great acts like, Phoenix, Massive Attack and Chromeo. keep your eyes and ears open for these guys because, coming soonish, they will be making/releasing that sophomore effort and that's when we'll see if they still live up to the hype. until then, we have this to chillax with. dig it...

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



it wasn't an earthquake, it was me sitting on the toilet...

Gotta Get Up...

hmm… it seems that i can’t figure out a schedule for my exercise program. this is bothersome because i should have already started by now. i know the process will take some time, but i’m anxious to begin. to coincide with my already frustrated problem, i’m increasingly tired everyday. my sleep pattern is about the same, but darn’it, it sucks to still be all haggard and zombie like every morning. i can’t always stop at 711 and get a coffee, and no one in my office seems to like it that much, so, yeah… midnight is my usual time to be asleep, but even that is difficult to attempt every night. i must get this exercise program started because i believe i’ll benefit from it and thus, make myself ready to go to bed at a decent hour and no more laying there staring at the white ceiling...

ugh, i’m ssssssooooooooooooo tired. why does sleepy music feel so welcomed right now??? maybe because it’s soothing and calm, which is why i want to post a more newer artist who goes by the name, Toro Y Moi.

this young man is one of the leading artists in the chillwave movement that exploded in the summer of 2009. toro y moi, or better yet, chazwick bundick, is a singer-songwriter who works mostly with ambient electronics and synthesizer layouts. his style is reminiscent of dream-pop and shoegaze artists, as well as indie pop and psychedelic bands. some of his contemporaries from the chillwave movement are acts like, Neon Indian, Animal Collective, Washed Out, Panda Bear, Memory Tapes, Best Coast, Wavves, Small Black and Night Jewel. heck, you could even throw in some TV On The Radio and you wouldn't be far off. this so called, “genre”, isn’t really anything new per se, but it has been highly praised and is/was the highlight of the past year or so. (basically, it’s just upgraded nu-wave…)

so, for toro y moi we have his one and only full length available, the debut album called, Causers of This. when i first discovered this dude through my usual sources, i quickly took a liking to his music and style. it’s lush and dreamy, but with the right amount of electronic flourishes and drugged out ambiance i tend to dig very much. check out the video below and see if you happen to find something appealing. if not, then who’s keepin’ ya from anything else??? certainly not me!!!

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

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

gotta clean up...

Scott pilgrim vs. the weekend box office...

yep yep yep, it seems that special weekend i've been waiting for is almost here!!! tomorrow is the opening of the Scott Pilgrim movie!!! yay, everyone else isn't excited except me!!! actually, i think there might be a few people who are stoked on it since i'm going with a group to see it, but eh, who knows huh??? anyway, it's flippin' awesome and i can't wait any longer!!! i just hope i'm not disappointed and left with a sore tailbone...

oh, and speaking of all things scott pilgrim, i happened to download the video game tuesday night and let me tell ya, it's great!!! if you have ever played the classic beat em' up, River City Ransom, then you will be in for a special treat. it's the spiritual successor and takes most of it's cues from that old-school game and mashes it with today's crappy pop culture. it actually WORKS!!! go get it without hesitation because it's simply fun and challenging.

oh, and for today's music we have the band that composed the soundtrack to said game. these guys are getting huge in the indie/electronic scene with their unique brand of music. they are known as, and i'm totally serious, Anamanaguchi.



i thank a random person on the orgsummit for posting these guys in the music thread. they are a BEAST of a band, or in this special case, a chiptune band. yes, there is now a genre called "chiptune", which is totally jawsomely awesome because if you love notoriously catchy 8-bit music from the years gone by, then this is the thing for you. case in point, just about every Mega Man theme since his first adventure. (don't you remember how simply wonderful Dr. Willy's first level was in mega man 2???) yeahhhhhhhh, this is what many will call nerd stuff, but those folks can stuff a used copy of the nintendo version of Back To the Future up their butts.

so, anamanaguchi started back in 2004 and hail from new york city. according to their bio, they are a chiptune punk band that "makes loud, fast music with a hacked nes from 1985." i believe it because if you have heard their stuff, you will instantly be taken back through the nostalgia wormhole. putting aside the memories, these guys actually make complex music with crazy shifting arrangements and abrupt timing. it's almost exhausting and by the time your ready to give up, the song is over. take this with a grain of whatever and see if you can't hop on some heads and charge up your mega busters!!!

oh, and for the music we have a few things here. we first start with their debut ep titled, Power Supply, then follow that with the lp, Dawn Metropolis. after this we have two of their newest singles with one being called, "airbrushed" and the other, "my skateboard with go on." these last two tracks are free downloads from their website, so go get them without the guilt!!! oh, and for those who are now drawn to this epic discovery of musical wonder, go to the chiptune mecca http://www.8bitpeoples.com and see if there is anything you dig...


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=a9ox63n3


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=lj01t9al


http://www.anamanaguchi.com/singles/


http://www.anamanaguchi.com/singles/



i'd date ramona flowers...