"One of Us" by ABBA

for dad.
so he knows about the loudness war.
these are from '81 (original release) and '05 (remastered version).

1981

2005

...WHAT

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/02/17/2009-02-17_911_tape_captures_chimpanzee_owners_horr-2.html

yeah, that's right.
"911 tape captures chimpanzee owner's horror as 200-pound ape mauls friend"

Dear Dad,

Note: My relationship with my father does not mirror that of this video.

God Save Me A Gun

God gave me a gun
Said take everyone
Standing in the way
Of what you really want
So I took his advice
Yeah, I never thought twice
Headed out to find
To find a Victim
An if I never run
Out of ammunition
I'll just keep shooting
Cause I'm the only one
That likes to see myself hurting

God played me a song
Said sing along
How fragile is the sound
When no one is around
You keep so damn confused
By love you always lose
But child it's what you choose
Lost and lying on the ground
So I rose up and danced
Like an angel with a broken body
Eyes turning to glass
To run the rain across my face
Streets held out their hands
To lead me back to my sweet manger
And tuck me into my flesh
Where I woke up to an answered prayer

The Loudness War

Click on the photo for the gif to animate.

This is the same song, mastered at four different dates.

Don't we see a horrible trend going on here?

No, this isn't technology getting better, enabling us to record at louder deciBel levels. This is modern times demanding that songs be pushed to the brink of a recording, making all sounds as loud as the other.  There are no soft sounds and loud sounds, there is just the song compressed to hell, giving no dynamic range.

Go ahead, test it out.  Put on any song released in 2008. ANY song. Listen to it.

[Note: for an added effect, choose a strong rock song.]

Now go listen to something released in the 80's.  Pop in Piano Man by Billy Joel.  Take a ride with an original recording of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Now, notice the difference.

Chuck Liddell

Okay, so that is an OLD picture of Chuck Liddell. In addition, I don't think I've ever seen Chuck's belly that small, nor with that many discernible abs. And yes, I realize that you can only see half his stomach. I mean, lookie-here:

12.30.06

Now that's a tummy.  It's also a younger Chuck, as he is fighting Tito Ortiz here from back in 2006.  And even more so featuring the beer belly, I found this picture when I Google Image searched "chuck liddell stomach":

I don't know who got this photograph, or especially how (s)he did, but they deserve a cookie.

All that being said...

I wouldn't bring any of this up to Chuck's face.

He could do...

horrible things to my face.

Like he did to Wanderlai here:
(12.29.07)

And besides, he did look quite dapper at the Grammys!

Doubt

Doubt was the next movie I watched that was up there with the best of 2008, and it was pretty amazing. I just finished it, and I have sat in silence for a bit, just taking it all in.  I wasn't necessarily jumping at the opportunity to watch the film [as I downloaded it weeks ago, and just watched it today] because I was afraid of the subject matter.  I tend to stray from most movies that have to do with the Catholic Church, as they tend to stray to matters not appropriate in the Church.  Cause, of course, who wants to watch a movie in which religion is actually working properly?  It's definitely not often.

But I have to say, out of the films I've watched in 2008, Doubt easily has some of the best performances out of any of them.  Ben Button was pretty good, but I didn't feel like a lot of the parts were acted amazingly.  I wasn't overwhelmingly happy with Pitt's performance, especially when I contrast it with the Academy Award winning Philip Seymour Hoffman.  He was absolutely stellar in this, giving the viewer a character that is incredibly deep.  Everyone's been talking about Rourke's role in The Wrestler [directed by my man Aronofsky!], but I felt the script was a little lacking there, and an actor can only be as good as the script they're given.  Revolutionary Road was just intense lol. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams gave Oscar-worthy performances as well, which rounded out the awesome acting in Doubt.

The script was great. Fantastic.  Aaaand that's all I really need to say about that.  It handled its subject matter with tact and ease, never stepping over the line, as I am constantly fearing in films these days.  The story is from a play that was written by the same guy who directed and wrote the film.  I'd love to check out the play.

Anyways, I liked it.

Death Is The Road To Awe

I lose all concept of reality.

I forget what it means to be human.

I drop all that is important.

I destroy that which is beautiful.

Listen.

The cello speaks.

As the world turns minor.

Now live.

Breathe wild fire.

And the sun will rise again.

YouTube is the greatest thing. =]

Here are a few videos that I've noticed lately. So much love.

This first one is from the show I went to back on Dec 17: Manchester Orchestra, with supporting bands All Get Out, Kevin Devine, and Dead Confederate.  This is the closing song [or the latter part of it], which features all members of ManOrch, and members of all opening bands.  Give it up for K-Dev in there.

This is one heck of a submission. Watch out, Fabreezeo Casablanca.

Aaaand I gotta give it up to a song by K-Dev from the show mentioned above.  Makes me happy.

Okay, that's it.

I'll post with something about my life soon, for those of you who actually care and are not just visiting my blog cause you're bored in class or work or at home and just looking to escape reality for a moment by hearing my pointless words.

Cause to be honest, this blog was just to say I was there when that first video happened.

And I couldn't have been happier.

you can even hear me yell.

um

woot woot!