Erase This: Review

“Boxcar Blood” from Alan Lastufka and Luke Conard’s Erase This

Erase This, Alan Lastufka & Luke Conard’s newest project, is flat out one of my favorite albums so far in 2010. Joined by an all-star sounding band, including Jason Munday on guitar, Ted Hu on piano, and Christian Caldeira on drums, Lastufka and Conard are able to produce an extremely unique rock sound, in a genre that seems to have lost a lot of its inimitableness. The emotion felt through Erase This is what you would expect from Lastufka, especially if you’ve listened to his most recent EP, Taking Leave. However, with all of the talent contained within the album, it’s a completely different sound than Taking Leave, and, dare I say, it’s better. But what makes it so matchless from others? Here’s why I’ve enjoyed Erase This.

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Review: This Machine Pwns n00bs

Ah, Hank Green. Not only has he proven himself to be one of the coolest nerds on the Internet, but he’s also one of the best musicians out there. With his past two amazing albums out (So Jokes and I’m So Bad At This: Live!), I had high expectations for his new album, This Machine Pwns n00bs. And I’m very happy to say it doesn’t just meet them; it greatly exceeds them.

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Exogenesis : Symphony Part I (Overture) | Muse

If you despise Muse with a burning passion, I apologize in advance for the mass amounts of songs I’ll be uploading this week. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The Resistance is one of my all-time favorite albums. It’s genius lies within the music, not the lyrics or hype about the album. The instruments, the rhythm (or therefore lack of) and it’s overall personality is a beautiful tour de force for an amazing musical group. Download it here, absolutely free (But then buy it. Seriously.). You won’t regret it.

Pieces of What | MGMT

Where do I even begin? MGMT’s album, though almost two years old, is still truly an amazing triumph for music, getting better with age. This song testifies to that fact; with a nice, soft indie feel to it, and a simple, calm beat, the track genuinely is one of a kind, and shows the potential MGMT has. The only question I have is one that needs an answer as soon as possible: “When’s the next album coming out?”

Movie Review: 9

As I said a few weeks back, I’m a true animation fan. From the early works of Mickey Mouse, to the now animation of Pixar and Frederator, I know it all. So, when my friend Connor and I heard about 9, how it was being produced by an amateur director, and it’s PG-13 rating, we thought that this would be a shining moment for animated movies. For us, animated movies always got the record of a children’s movie/show, hence all G-rated Disney movies, and Nickelodeon cartoons. People never see an animated movie as a truly awing form of film. We thought 9 would be able to redeem animated films from this title.

Well, we were torn on how we felt.

Connor had extremely high expectations for this movie. He thought it was going to be an all out action film, every second another twist, and show you what the original short film (which 9 was based off of), but in greater detail. He walked out of the movie disappointed, saying it was the short film, but with small speaking rolls and and hour and ten minutes longer.

However, I thought, with Hollywood being what Hollywood is, the movie was a fine adaption of the short film. But, I think it would have been better as just a short film, remaining a silent movie, but with better CGI. There was no way that the movie could have been extended into a full hour and a half; it was impossible, as it shown in the final product. The PG-13 rating seemed out of place; there was nothing about 9 that was risque or frightening. The movie should have been labeled PG in my opinion, but adults would enjoy this film as well. Also, there was very little dialogue, which wasn’t truly a shock for those who have seen the short film, which had no dialogue at all.

However, though the film was nothing truly new or amazing, the animation was very well done, being some of the best I’ve seen in years. The movie was an extreme treat in a visual sense; through the eyes of a ragdoll in a post-apocalyptic world, you feel like you are there with the characters, feel the emotions of fear, emptiness, sorrow, and courage. And, though the ending seemed to make way for a sequel, I feel that there will never be one. We’ll just have ourselves, and our imagination to piece together what happens next. Shane Acker’s story, animation, and directing was perfect, and I feel he’s not to blame on why the film wasn’t as good as the original. The blame should go to Hollywood.

All in all, I think 9 raised the bar in how animation is done, and how story lines can be adapted for different audiences, but wasn’t anything groundbreaking like I thought it would be. However, I doubt this will be the last we see of Shane Acker, who seems very promising as a director.

What did you think of 9? Leave me a comment, or tweet me and tell me your opinion.

Two Weeks | Grizzly Bear

From their newest album, Veckatimest, the track Two Weeks is one of the best songs, with an enjoyable, upbeat melody, and a fast pace, it’s a great song to listen to to cheer your moods. And after a great summer ending for me, this album is perfect to lighten me up. You can download it from iTunes here.

Last Flowers | Radiohead

Truly one of the best tracks on In Rainbows, and truly one of the most beautiful alternative rock tracks out there. As a big fan of Radiohead, as musicians and as people, their newest album is one of my favorite albums of all time. From the beginning to the end, Last Flowers takes the listener through a death, and how even with an end brings new beginnings, new love, and new memories. If you haven’t bought this album yet, my only question is: why not?

Review: No One’s First And You’re Next

I’ll be honest: before buying this album, I wasn’t exactly sure who Modest Mouse. Of course I knew they were an indie band, and they played a type of alternative rock, but other then that, I only knew their name.

So, figuring that I knew absloutly nothing about the artists, I decided to look online:

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah, Washington by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy.

The band has attained significant mainstream success since being signed to Sony’s Epic Records in 2001 and have been one of the leading bands in the commercialization of indie rock, beginning with The Moon & Antarctica and Good News for People Who Love Bad News, which have been certified gold and platinum by the RIAA respectively. They have gone on to sell over three million records since. (via Wikipedia)

Reading over this, with many mentions of the band’s success, you’d have to wonder how this lone eight track album would hold up to their others. After all, No One’s First and You’re Next consists of tracks that were to be released with Modest Mouse’s best-selling albums, The Moon & Antarctica and Good News for People Who Love Bad News, but didn’t make the cut. Why were they held back? Would this album be trash, and not worth listening to? Nonetheless, I deciede to listen, and, to my enjoyment, Modest Mouse did not disappoint.

Within No One’s First and You’re Next, memories feel to be reawakened, memories of enjoyment, pain, sorrow, loss, and love. These emotions can be found, expressed to the fullest, in tracks such as Autumn Beds and King Rat, two of the strongest songs on the EP. And with catchy, cryptic lyrics, intriguing melodies, and mystical beats in every track, the album easily can relate to anyone.

Easily a EP, Modest Mouse’s choice to release these forgotten tracks was a plus for them. If you’re interested in listening to No One’s First and You’re Next, you can purchase the album on Amazon, and on iTunes. And, though this EP is great, Modest Mouse has many other great, full-length albums available online, which you should also check out.

So, the final verdict? No One’s First and You’re Next is strong, and very enjoyable new release from Modest Mouse. It’s not the best that the band could produce, but it’s a great album to introduce and interest new listeners. I can’t help but wonder what’s next, but there’s no doubt in my mind that whatever it is, it’ll be a great for Modest Mouse.

Paul Constant Reviews Twitter →

On January 16, 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson, Twitter was the first to know, and it knew the most for hours.Faster than they told YouTube, people told Twitter what was happening.

In breaking news, eyewitness reports are almost always more valuable and interesting than a journalist’s accounts. Watching New Yorkers tell their stories on 9/11 was more compelling, more real, than anything else CNN could relay. Most viewers would rather follow the bearded biker who shouts, “It came out of nowhere!” than return to the smiling, phony telejournalist.

We’re telling each other stories, 140 characters at a time, as they unfold. If you can’t see the value in that, you’re hopeless.

Up Review

Pixar, it amazes me what can come out of you.

First of all, ‘Up’ as a film is brilliant. The whole time I was in the theater, I wasn’t watching a G rated movie, I was in Paradise Falls, with Carl and Dug, trying to get the house to the edge of the waterfall. Pete Docter and all of the crew put on an amazing show, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

(Also, before I put my opinions on the table, I thought Edward Asner passed away before I saw this movie. Did anyone else think so? He did a fantastic job as Carl.)

The premise of ‘Up’ is based around the relationship of Ellie and Carl, two young children who’s meeting is centered around an adventurer, Charles Muntz. Ellie makes Carl promise to take the two of them, along with their house, to Paradise Falls, first explored by Charles Muntz. They go on to get married, and grow old together. They are incapable of having children, though that doesn’t stop their love from continuing. Sadly, Ellie passes away, leaving Carl all alone.

Carl’s home is to be torn down for construction work, and he is being taken to a retirement home. However, he cleverly tries to keep his promise to Ellie, and ties thousands of balloons to his house, filled with helium, and having the building float. He is forcefully joined with Russell, a Boy Scout on a hunt to receive his final badge, and become a Senior Wilderness Expert. Along the way, Carl and Russell meet Dug, a talking dog after a wild bird, and the wild bird itself, which is referred to as Kevin.

The movie itself has a loving, adventure theme, showing that love can take you on journeys you never thought you’d take. However, as the movie also shows later on, it can overpower you, and blind you to what is really important in life. ‘Up’ is an amazing triumph for Pixar, with a wonderful cast, beautiful animation, and just the right amount of humor, action, and heartfelt thrown in. It’s a movie for the young, and the young at heart, and you’ll leave the theater feeling absolutely delighted.