Friday, June 11, 2004
Are you pondering what I am pondering?
I'm in one of those In-Between Times. You know, where you're without anything to do right at this moment, but at any second you could receive a crucial piece of feedback or have to go to a meeting and like that, you're back to working productively. In the meantime, however, things are happening, but all around you. To other people. It's like the eye of the work hurricane that is perpertually sweeping the office.
So what have I been up to? I have been in the midst of a bit of a music renaissance, in that I have had my interest in a number of different bands sparked and I am right now listening to a whole schwack of new rock. The "new" album I have listened to most recently would be The Doors self-titled first album. It's pretty solid stuff, but I didn't expect that they were as organ-driven as they are. The guitar is almost inaudible alongside the wailing keyboard. Deep Purple is still rather big in my playlist, and for a couple of days couldn't go five minutes without getting "Lazy" from Machine Head in my head. I'm also delving into more stoner metal, waiting for the latest Monster Magnet album, Monolithic Baby, to arrive as well as checking out some Queens of the Stone Age and some Fu Manchu. Only group in that genre that I want to hear more of, but don't think I'll be able to, is Sleep. And Galactic Cowboys, actually, so make that two groups. Sleep is a very low-profile band, but their album Jerusalem is apparantly one solid 60-minute long song about weed, whereas Galactic Cowboys just sounds kind of funky and worth a listen. Too bad they're obscure enough to be difficult to find though...
There has been a glut of prog metal in my playlists as well, mostly comprised of Dream Theater at the moment. I think I've expounded my thoughts on them before, so I'll keep it short and say that Train of Thought, their latest album is pretty awesome. I don't know really why I like progressive metal so much, but it just kind of has me slightly hooked. I think it has to do with the way it weaves together the ambitious grandeur of art rock with the broad, deep soundscapes of orchestral music, all while not ignoring the subtle, nuanced way that heavy metal caresses your ears like a thrown brick caresses a window. I would liken it to an auditory form of either pie crust or a Pan-galactic Gargle Blaster, but I haven't decided which yet. Probably pie crust. At least it has a chance of being full of tasty apple
I have also been watching a fair bit of Samurai Jack, as I received the first season of the show a week or two ago. Basically, the show is the best elements of the movies that Genndy Tartakovsky (its creator) watched as a kid. Conan the Barbarian. Star Wars. Seven Samurai. Blade Runner. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. All the best elements of cyberpunk, samurai epic, western, space opera, all funnelled into a cartoon about a samurai who is thrown into a future ruled by his nemesis, Aku. This show simply oozes style out of every pore, from the artistic style (ala Dexter's Lab) to the direction to the voices. The show is basically a heroic epic, while still being accessible to just about darn near everybody. Highly recommended to all.
Trailer Park Boys wrapped up it's 4th season not too long ago, and I saw the season finale this week. My verdict? Best season yet. I mean, does it get better than the Samsquantch monster? Or Ricky facing off with Leahy, hitting him up for smokes when Leahy is pointing a loaded gun at his face? Or Conky? ... Scratch that. Conky takes it. Plus, the end of the season is a pretty big doozy and looks to open up season five (should there be one...) quite nicely. Looking forward to it, to say the least.
Other than watching TV and listening to music though, (and other than working, of course) not too much is new with me. I am looking forward to the weekend, as I am heading out to cottage-country with some folk, so that looks to be a lot of fun. I am doubtful of my receiving BlackBerry service though, so there will probably be no posting. Somehow, I'm sure y'all will survive.
¶ 2:19 p.m.
I'm in one of those In-Between Times. You know, where you're without anything to do right at this moment, but at any second you could receive a crucial piece of feedback or have to go to a meeting and like that, you're back to working productively. In the meantime, however, things are happening, but all around you. To other people. It's like the eye of the work hurricane that is perpertually sweeping the office.
So what have I been up to? I have been in the midst of a bit of a music renaissance, in that I have had my interest in a number of different bands sparked and I am right now listening to a whole schwack of new rock. The "new" album I have listened to most recently would be The Doors self-titled first album. It's pretty solid stuff, but I didn't expect that they were as organ-driven as they are. The guitar is almost inaudible alongside the wailing keyboard. Deep Purple is still rather big in my playlist, and for a couple of days couldn't go five minutes without getting "Lazy" from Machine Head in my head. I'm also delving into more stoner metal, waiting for the latest Monster Magnet album, Monolithic Baby, to arrive as well as checking out some Queens of the Stone Age and some Fu Manchu. Only group in that genre that I want to hear more of, but don't think I'll be able to, is Sleep. And Galactic Cowboys, actually, so make that two groups. Sleep is a very low-profile band, but their album Jerusalem is apparantly one solid 60-minute long song about weed, whereas Galactic Cowboys just sounds kind of funky and worth a listen. Too bad they're obscure enough to be difficult to find though...
There has been a glut of prog metal in my playlists as well, mostly comprised of Dream Theater at the moment. I think I've expounded my thoughts on them before, so I'll keep it short and say that Train of Thought, their latest album is pretty awesome. I don't know really why I like progressive metal so much, but it just kind of has me slightly hooked. I think it has to do with the way it weaves together the ambitious grandeur of art rock with the broad, deep soundscapes of orchestral music, all while not ignoring the subtle, nuanced way that heavy metal caresses your ears like a thrown brick caresses a window. I would liken it to an auditory form of either pie crust or a Pan-galactic Gargle Blaster, but I haven't decided which yet. Probably pie crust. At least it has a chance of being full of tasty apple
I have also been watching a fair bit of Samurai Jack, as I received the first season of the show a week or two ago. Basically, the show is the best elements of the movies that Genndy Tartakovsky (its creator) watched as a kid. Conan the Barbarian. Star Wars. Seven Samurai. Blade Runner. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. All the best elements of cyberpunk, samurai epic, western, space opera, all funnelled into a cartoon about a samurai who is thrown into a future ruled by his nemesis, Aku. This show simply oozes style out of every pore, from the artistic style (ala Dexter's Lab) to the direction to the voices. The show is basically a heroic epic, while still being accessible to just about darn near everybody. Highly recommended to all.
Trailer Park Boys wrapped up it's 4th season not too long ago, and I saw the season finale this week. My verdict? Best season yet. I mean, does it get better than the Samsquantch monster? Or Ricky facing off with Leahy, hitting him up for smokes when Leahy is pointing a loaded gun at his face? Or Conky? ... Scratch that. Conky takes it. Plus, the end of the season is a pretty big doozy and looks to open up season five (should there be one...) quite nicely. Looking forward to it, to say the least.
Other than watching TV and listening to music though, (and other than working, of course) not too much is new with me. I am looking forward to the weekend, as I am heading out to cottage-country with some folk, so that looks to be a lot of fun. I am doubtful of my receiving BlackBerry service though, so there will probably be no posting. Somehow, I'm sure y'all will survive.
¶ 2:19 p.m.
