Dead Stop Traffic is Kushin Out

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been busy dealing with life and what not. William Duncan Kier convinced me to cop a tumblr. I'll post the link up here when I make one.

Basement Life is Nice

I'm not ready to leave Boulder yet so after the dorms kicked everyone out on Friday I've just been chillin in my homies basement finishing up community service and partying or whatnot. One of the most comfortable grease stained sofas I've ever slept on. Not stoked to come back for far too many reasons.

Nothing is Alright; I Believe in Mr. Grieves

Things are far from alright. I need a break . . . please. The Pixies, Modest Mouse, and Interpol are up there with my favorite rock bands of all time despite their popularity. Excluding Interpol's last two albums. A girl in Boulder hooked me up with light room and I don't know how much it costs but it definitely is not cheap. It's amazing what you can do to some pictures on this shit; it's definitely cheating in my opinion but it's still fun. For all you digital fanatics I can see right through your lies. Haha. I miss film so much and I am about to be missing Boulder even more. God damn. I wish I could get hammered and smoke a pack of cigarettes but for now I'll stick with that Grizzly Mint. Here is a dope picture of Marc doing the only trick I've ever seen him do. Look at that editing!

Boulder Pics Edited With Lightroom

"I'm Tryin to go to School but the System Wasn't Havin Me, Some Say It's Technicality But This Is Just Reality"

Suspension don't mean shit. Crooked Boulder cops taking me to jail with no shirt and shoes, tryin to put a hold on my education, and fill my record with permanent misdemeanors. Fuck a job that checks a criminal record anyways. Corporations won't have to look up my history because Imma be my own god damn boss. Authority foams at the mouth to bring down young kids with loud opinions, and high aspirations that they never even dreamed of. Who do you think you are? A badge doesn't mean you can be throwing innocent kids on the floor, hand cuffed with a taser stuffed against a skull. I will stay angry and never let the pigs walk on top of me. I'm going all out and going to chase my dreams until they are quenched and if not I'm going to fail and fall hard and alone on to the floor of a cargo train with a backpack and live the life of a stray. These past few weeks have been the most stressful days of my life I and have left my mind in a state of confusion, rage, and depression. Fuck it all because I am going to shine through the bullshit and be one famous mother fucker. I will prove it to everyone who has ever doubted me: the bacon, the university and all the people who feel they have the right to control my life. I am no thug, and I am not talking about dealing drugs or anything of the sort. But I can still relate to these lyrics. I am ready to get what I deserve and I don't give a shit how long it might take. Those who have supported me I appreciate it but if you are going to use this support to tie me down and use it as a means of control then I don't need it. This rant is definitely a bit cocky and radical but it is nothing more then another rant written to help me cope with the pressure. I wish I could post every song from this album because it is up there with one of my favorite rap albums of all time. I mean that. Buy it and slap it when you need to blow off some steam.

Girls: Broken Dreams Club EP

This is an album I reviewed by choice that will hopefully end up on the Boulder Radio web page. It is not a a DJ review. When the San Francisco based band Girls dropped their debut album, curiously titled Album in September of 2009, I had it playing in my car, in my headphones, and on my stereo on repeat with no relief. The album turned into a guilty pleasure of mine and I’m not afraid to admit that I was obsessed with Chris Owens silky voice and his simple and sensitive ways of expressing pain and heartache. His dark history with the notorious Children of God Cult and rumors of heavy narcotic abuse attracted me to his persona even more. I enjoy all genres of music and I like to change whats playing on my stereo quite often but with Girl’s Album there was no need for any such change. At the time Girls was all I needed to get through the day. On the album’s songs, Chris Owens preaches about the world of loss and misery, but as the album progresses he insures that pain is always accompanied by shimmers of hope and chances of fresh love. However no matter how much I enjoy an album there will always be a tipping point; every lyric has become subconsciously memorized and every guitar riff recognized and you have no choice but to remove the needle. That is why when Girls released their new EP titled Broken Dreams Club, I was ecstatic to say the least. Over the past year, Girls have been traveling and playing shows all over the nation, which has given the band an opportunity to grow and develop. Broken Dreams Club is a prime example of the band’s progression and although the songs may be more polished and recorded with more care then the somewhat shaky, lo-fi songs off of their debut Album, they are still the same band that I remember falling in love with a year earlier. The six songs on the album consist of the same restless and moody vocals that lightly float over mellow, classic rock melodies. However in this EP the evolution of the band is apparent with Owen's experimentation with song texture by incorporating short bursts of horns, psychedelic reverbs and even faint sounds of piano. Girls announced that Broken Dreams Club is nothing more then a snapshot of what is to expect from the group in the future and is a simple attempt to portray the bands development since Album. The EP is Owens way of thanking all of his loyal fans that have supported his career over the past year. Well I'd like to say that you are welcome Girls and thank you for recording some of the most comforting and calming music I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Keep the Jams coming.

Review Fiend: Find This Album

This album just dropped so I couldn't find any videos to share but if you like mellow indie folk shit or the song below you should literally go out and buy this album because it is amazing. Some of the most relaxing music I have ever listened to. Here is the radio review I put together: The project known as Field Days, consists solely of a mysterious Nashville Tennessee resident known as Patrick Damphier. His debut album Projector was self recorded in a basement on a borrowed four track reel to reel machine. Patrick’s music is peaceful, simple, and touches on some very emotional topics. Considering his lack of legitimate funding for the album and his use of a makeshift studio, his album Projector is quite impressive.

I Fought the Law and the Law Won: 50 More Reviews To Go Before I Come Home Looking For Bay Residence

Here is some more radio bullshit. I am going to be posting all of the music I review good or mediocre. I can not always choose the albums I write about however I did enjoy this album. This is not a review but a few phrases for the DJ to say while he is on air, flipping through the songs I have chosen off the album. Hailing from San Francisco songwriter Donovan is considered to be one of the strongest lyricists working in the psychedelic folk scene. His talent has single handedly brought many underground San Francisco folk bands into the limelight including The Skygreen Leopards. He uses dense and fragmented song style and evocative vocals to deliver a powerful message to his audience. Donavan Quinn and the Thirteenth Month is Donavan’s primary band and together they recently dropped their sophomore album, Your Wicked Man, produced by Jason Quever of Papercuts.

Cliche Me: Strivin For The High Life

Wrote a little bullshit for philosophy. I would share more papers but there usually a minimum of five pages and most of you all wont even read this page. A prominent question that crosses the minds of many philosophers is the concept of life, death, and inexistence and how they are associated with one another. There are many debates on the benefits of life versus the simplicity of in-existence. Is it better to be birthed into a life filled with pleasure, love, misery and torment or to never be brought into the world and remain suspended in a universe of unknowing through nonexistence? In our day and age our world is filled with plague, war, hate, starvation and despair. It is essential for citizens to have to work hours to gain simple life necessities such as food, shelter and clothes. With out a job a life can not successfully thrive. Work consumes our every day actions and our decisions. However, through the strife and the turmoil there are times happiness shines through. People can can find refuge in relationships, love, travel and beauty. Gaining satisfaction through self expression in art and communications in itself can be a reason to continue to live. Hobbies, sports, and interests keep people occupied from the daily grind we are forced to face everyday. That is why I am arguing that it is better to be born and experience life, good or bad. No matter how dark a situation is there is always a silver lining. Life is not easy and it is not a coincidence that the words “pursuit of happiness” were written in our constitution. It is the pursuit that brings purpose into our lives. Dreams are nothing more than a distant desire but no matter if these dreams and aspirations are achieved it is the pursuit that makes life worthwhile. Life is a constant battle between everyday hardships and squeezing the joy out of every moment. Life is an experience and even though there are single mothers working worthless jobs from nine to five, struggling to support a family, it is that family bond that brings pleasure and love and it is something that would never be achieved through inexistence. It is simply pathetic to try and argue that it would be better to never have been born when life has so much to offer and experience no matter if it is sometimes hard to find the beauty through the struggle.

A Quick Taste of Boulder

Unwarranted gifts are very nice. Over thanksgiving break my dope ass uncle learned I was majoring in photojournalism with no camera. He generously dropped a cannon rebel in my lap with no questions asked. I had to wait till the weather was nice enough to venture over to the park with my homie Marc to snap off some shots but I think my patience paid off. These are my first shots with my new camera so cut me some slack. Look at those bowls and get jealous. Then come out to visit because you are craving a new dialed skatepark to ride.

Another Angry Youth

What else is new. An angry eighteen year old college boy confused and pissed off at the world. When the world is whooping my ass I have a right to be angry back. These god damn text books are breaking my back and I'm just about ready to toss them out. College just seems fake and fluffy to me. It is not real life. I am ready to tuck myself away in a small apartment in the grimy city and work for what I have. I am tired of suckin the tit. I thought moving out to Colorado would give me the independence I have been craving but it did not fulfill such needs. Just tryin to live my own fucking life. Guided, supported, and enjoyed by me and me only. This is actually a legitimate self portrait that I drew from a photograph. Again, I don't think my art teacher was pleased.

Animal Collective Inspiration

The King in I died, he kept floating past my eyes and singing his songs. Life was good now death's all wrong. Cause you can't feel a thing, no heart flutters in late spring. And I can't hold what's in my hand, don't do any good to say this isn't what I planned. And where's my mom I want to hold her tight, she is so far away from crowded nights. I will always love Animal Collective. There have been weeks were I listen to nothing else. There music is so textured, emotional and beautiful and no matter what is coursing through my cluttered brain it always puts me into a nice state of mind. I made this piece in dedication to one of my favorite groups of all time, using ink and brush and a little bit of pink pencil. My foundations art class is so limiting, so I try and to make the best out of it by squeezing the most out of each assignment. This particular assignment was to create a "weighted line" piece and although I feel like my lines definitely vary in pressure, I got a poor grade because of the pink shading. More art to come. I couldn't find a video of cuckoo cuckoo so enjoy this.

Hella Fiendish

Expect a shitload of album reviews dropping soon. I just picked up fourteen albums to write about so if you dig the music I put up here check daily because I'll be throwin them up on a regular basis. I've gotten a couple reviews published on the Radio 1190 site so hopefully these will be appearing up there fairly soon. Check it out: http://www.radio1190.org/staffpicks.html. Pound of good tunes. The Bay can wait.