just because..

2008 video game awards

how many people can say their mom sang backup for weezer?
not to mention, while singing in church robes in front of a flaming pentagram..
well..i can, and yesterday i witnessed just that at the 2008 video game awards.

the award show featured numerous musical acts (50 cent, ll cool j, all american rejects, and weezer), but weezer really killed it with the show's finale. the heaven/hell themed performance featured the band rockin out while a choir of singers accompanied them.
my mom was the tall blonde in the back row of those talented ladies.

i was psyched to tag along for the day, and it was very cool to watch jack black (the show's host) and craig robinson practice their bit before the show started.

you could say i almost had as much fun as the giddy gamers around me during the show.

some pictures from the day:

the stage


fiddy


jack black and craig robinson


weeeeezer




aaand here's the video of the performance

yes!

all good things must come to an end

my very last kjuc show..

..but certainly not my last radio show. i'll have bigger fish to fry in the spring, when i'll try for kcsb.
i'm not quite ready for fm in the winter quarter, plus a hellacious school schedule is gonna make it difficult to have any type of fun, let alone a radio show. i definitely want to do it in the future tho. maybe get some actual listeners :)

the final show featured my favorite side projects and solo albums.
http://www.mediafire.com/?itgmmna1jnn

slumdog millionaire

tonight, my family and i embarked on a cinematic journey to see slumdog millionaire, a film that i now consider to be the best movie i've ever seen. i wish i could properly express the greatness that is this film, but, since i can't, i'm going to let the folks at rottentomatoes do it for me.

"In a year of DOA movies, this one is unquestionably alive."

"It's a masterpiece, and that's my final answer."

"Pure movie magic -- pulsing with life, oozing authenticity and so drunk on romance that it simply has to end with an exuberant musical number."

"Like all good fairy tales, this outsize celebration of perseverance and moral triumph contains within it a deeper idea -- in this case, the relative nature of what we think we know, and what's worth knowing at all."

"Once Slumdog launches into its final act, you'll get that pang that comes with the last chapter of a great book you wish you weren't about to finish."

remixxx

i had way too much fun doing my kjuc show this morning. the theme was just too good.


i played some spectacular remixes, both mellow and upbeat.

prepare to get down:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2wm4m0mjzg2

kjuc show #6

guess what the theme of today's show was...
that's right kiddies, SWEDEN!
the show was chock-full of super cool swedish artists.

listennn
http://www.mediafire.com/?dxgm5jfhimq

censorship can be fun!

ANEEMALS

Show #5 had such a fun theme: ANIMALS!
I featured songs with animal-themed titles.

Some fun selections:
http://www.mediafire.com/?3zmnawnzi1j

this makes me so happy

props to our new prez.

President Barack Obama

Way to go TIME, you called it.


November 4, 2008
What a day for America.

After what was probably the shortest election in the history of the world, America learned that our future was in fact in the hands of Barack Obama.

SIGH. OF. RELIEF.

I feel honored and proud to have participated in such an important election, and hope that future elections turn out as awesome as my first.

While I feel very proud to call myself an American, I now feel ashamed to call myself a Californian. It was a sad morning, learning that Prop 8, the ban on gay marriage in California, passed. I know I can't be greedy (my candidate did kick ass), but I would have loved to see some more tolerance and equality in our great nation.
Honestly California...we're supposed to be the liberal, progressive state.

Let's take steps forward, not backward.

time for halloween, time for halloween

my halloween show for kjuc is up for your listening pleasure.

download my spooky selections here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2t423yziyy2

KJUC Show #3 (10/24/08)

Third show's up.
This week featured some of my favorite covers.

Check it:
http://www.mediafire.com/?t32wygdyj4y

fantastic film soundtracks

did my second kjuc radio show this morning

this show featured songs from some of my favorite films/soundtracks.

i played songs from the films:
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- The Darjeeling Limited
- Eagle vs Shark
- Marie Antoinette
- Once

anyone who knows me knows how much i enjoy those films and their soundtracks.

here's the link to download:
http://www.mediafire.com/?jq5gok5mtix
go there, and click "click here to download.."
(my show is an hour and half long, but my blank cds are only able to burn an hour and 20 min of it, so you miss the last 2 songs. bummer i know.)

enjoy.

MY FIRST RADIO SHOW!

so i got the KJUC dj gig..

no, not KCSB. KJUC. in order to be a dj on KCSB, you have to program for a quarter on KJUC, the AM campus radio station that only broadcasts to the dorms. KJUC gives you experience/skills you need for KCSB.

my show is called Absolute Audio and its on friday mornings from 8-9:30

i did my first show this morning and had so much fun
i was able to burn my show to a cd, which is cool. i'll use my best KJUC show as my demo for KCSB.

to listen to it, click on the link below and hit "click here to start download"
http://www.mediafire.com/?qdckwymmu0m

dorm update

first entry since entering the exciting and strange new world that is college.
currently writing this from my brand spankin new apartment. through open windows, i can hear the requiem for a dream score playing out of a nearby apartment- those eery violins are so recognizable. it's refreshing to hear something besides non-stop lil ______ or young ______ (coming in my apartment from both downstairs and nextdoor neighbors every night..) neighbors music choices aside, i almost feel like this place is too nice, and i am not getting the real college living experience. while many of my peers are sharing a room with 1, 2 or 3 other people (last weekend i visited a house with 14 inhabitants) i have been lucky enough to score my own room in a brand new off-campus apartment. no, we're not in the center of the iv craziness, but our apartment complexes are a short 5 minute walk to town. i must say, after spending time over the weekend in overly-crowded houses on dp, the space and solace (during the day at least) in my current location is certainly appreciated during weekdays of constant studying.

what else...classes are alright, still getting used to the fast paced quarter system. as far as extra curriculars go, i'm really interested in getting involved with kcsb, the school's radio station. after discovering that the majority of the population of sb/iv listens to mainstream hip-hop (hence the university's choice of booking 3 6 mafia for a packed "welcome back" concert), i figure this would be the perfect place to broadcast my music while also meeting people with common interests. i'm currently writing up a proposal for a show, so keep fingers crossed.



this is just too good.

JUST BEAUTIFUL

been a rachael yamagata fan for awhile now, so i must give kudos to her new single, "elephants"
at first listen, one could easily peg her as feist/cat power clone, but this girl's got a sound all her own.
this song has got to be one of her best. the simple piano intro with the gradual string progression gets me with every listen.



So for those of you falling in love
Keep it kind
Keep it good
Keep it right
Throw yourself in the midst of danger
But keep one eye open at night

the escape

is in full effect.

in 10 days, I will be in a new place, surrounded by new faces, and new possibilities.
not to mention i'll be attending school in paradise.

after perusing the "dorm life" aisles of many a store, attending campus tours and orientations, purchasing textbooks online, and overall psyching myself mentally, I feel like I could not be more ready for the next step. it's finally happening.. and i cannot wait.

the summer re-cap:
one of the most eye opening and mentally stimulating summers on record. old friends reminded me of who i am, new friends showed me who i am becoming. sailing cleared my mind in a time when things were a bit hazy. i worked the best summer job in the history of summer jobs, for the 2nd time. weekends away from home were therapy. read some good books, saw some bad movies. overall..a significant summer.

the streets- the escapist

when i say “hey” thou shalt not say “ho"

Thou shalt not steal if there is a direct victim

Thou shalt not worship pop idols or follow lost prophets

Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Johnny Hartman, Desmond Dekker, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barrat in vein

Thou shalt not think that any male over the age of 30 that plays with a child that is not their own is a pedophile, some people are just nice

Thou shalt not read NME

Thou shalt not stop liking a band just because they have become popular

Thou shalt not question Stephen Fry

Thou shalt not judge a book by its cover

Thou shalt not judge Lethal Weapon by Danny Glover

Thou shalt not buy Coca Cola products

Thou shalt not buy Nestle products

Thou shalt not go into the woods with your boyfriend bestfriend, take drugs and cheat on him

Thou shalt not fall in love so easily

Thou shalt not use poetry, art or music to get into girls pants…use it to get into their heads

Thou shalt not watch Hollyoaks

Thou shalt not attend an open mic and then leave as soon as you have done your shitty little poem or song you self righteous prick

Thou shalt not return to the same club or bar week in, week out just because you once saw a girl there that you fancied that your never gonna fucking talk to

Thou shalt not put musicians and recording artists on ridiculous pedestals no matter how great they are or were

The Beatles.
Were just a band.
Led Zeppelin
Just a band.
The Beach Boys.
Just a band
Sex Pistols.
Just a band.
The Clash.
Just a band.
Crass.
Just a band
Minor Threat.
Just a band.
The Cure
Just a band.
The Smiths
Just a band.
Nirvana.
Just a band.
The Pixies
Just a band
Oasis.
Just a band
Radiohead.
Just a band.
Bloc Party.
Just a band.
Arctic Monkeys.
Just a band.
The next big thing
Just a band.

Thou shalt give equal worth to tragedies that occur in non-english speaking countries as to those that occur in english speaking countries

Thou shalt remember that guns, bitches and bling where never part of the four elements and never will be

Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music

Thou shalt not pimp my ride

Thou shalt not scream if you wanna go faster

Thou shalt not move to the sound of the wickedness

Thou shalt not make some noise for Detroit

When I say “hey” thou shalt not say “ho”

When I say “hip” thou shalt not say “hop”

When I say, he say, she say, we say “make some noise”…..kill me

Thou shalt not quote me happy

Thou shalt not shake it like a Polaroid picture

Thou shalt not wish your girlfriend was a freak like me

Thou shalt spell the word phoenix : P-H-E-O-N-I-X not P-H-O-E-N-I-X regardless of what the oxford English dictionary tells you

Thou shalt not express your shock at the fact that Sharon got off with Brad at the club last night by saying “is it?”

Thou shalt think for yourselves

And thou shalt ALWAYS kill.

carmensita

bitter:sweet at the el rey

what
a
show.


you've heard bitter:sweet's music even if their name isn't ringing a bell. their songs have been featured in so many tv shows (lipstick junge, grey's anatomy, nip/tuck) and movies (the devil wears prada, because i said so) over the past year or two. their music is so rich with style and sophistication, it's no wonder they provide the background music for many "swanky party scenes." bitter:sweet is composed of Shana Halligan on vocals/keyboard and Kiran Shahani on bass. their band also includes a drummer, guitarist, dj, and violinist, however these musicians are not constant.

as for their sound, bitter:sweet describes themselves as "Portishead meets Zero 7 with a bit of Serge Gainsbourg and Everything But The Girl mixed in for good measure." if i were forced to put a label on their genre, i would call it lounge/trip-hop/electronica-esque/with old hollywood sampling. i must say, i was damn impressed with Shana. her voice is so sultry and sexy, i found myself mesmerized by her. she looked like a lounge singer from the forties in her gold shimmer floor length dress and flower tucked behind her fire-red locks. my boyfriend and i pegged her as "jenny lewis' sexy older sister."

the vibe of the show was so mellow and almost trance-like. the crowd got down to tunes like "dirty laundry" and "the bomb" then swayed in synchronization to "bittersweet faith" and "moving forward." the el rey was the perfect venue for this show. it's intimate setting gave everyone a great view. definitely a show for the books.

mid-summer update

it's hard to believe that:
1) summer's half over already
2) i'll be moving to sb in 2 months
3) i've ignored this blog for so long

definitely been enjoying the lack of stress and excess of leisure in by far the most favorable season of the four. one of my favorite aspects of the season, "summer reading", has been taking up much of my time lately. there's something so liberating about reading a book in your own time, knowing that you won't be graded on accurately regurgitating the plot points. i just finished tom robbins' still life with woodpecker and i must say, it lives up to the hype. i had previously read robbins' collection of short writings titled wild ducks flying backward to get a feel for his style and humor. and now.. i LOVE his style and humor.


"How can one thing be more real than any other? Especially when it is inscrutable and mysterious? Maybe when a thing is perceived as being absolutely direct yet absolutely unnecessary it becomes absolutely genuine. It is real unto itself and does not depend on outside attachments or associations for its reality."
-still life


on the musical side of things..
haven't been going to as many shows as i would like. early in the summer, i saw cut copy and classixx at the echo, which was definitely a show to remember. classixx killed as usual, and cut copy brought the thunder from down under. i actually enjoyed this performance more than their coachella performance, mainly because it was longer and in a more intimate setting. i'm seeing bitter:sweet this friday at the el rey, which i'm VERY psyched for. should be a groovy show.


i know i've been posting tons of youtube vids lately, but this one is just too good.

self-explanatory

new weezer

weezer just realeased the video for their new song, "pork and beans" and i gotta say...it's GREAT.
the video features cameos by both internet superstars and river cuomo's new mustache.

m.i.a- "jimmy"

its been weeks since i saw her at coachella, but m.i.a. has still got me mesmerized.
i stumbled upon the video for her song "jimmy" and found that she sampled a bollywood movie from the 70's called "disco dancer".
i love what she did with it. the bollywood video is pretty entertaining as well.

"jimmy aaja" from "disco dancer"



m.i.a. "jimmy"

COACHELLA 2008

i doubt i'll be able to fit every unbelievable moment of this weekend into this blog, but i'll do my best.
first, let's see who i saw each day:
FRIDAY- cut copy, mum, tegan and sara, the raconteurs, swell season
SATURDAY- st. vincent, hot chip, m.i.a., sasha & digweed, prince
SUNDAY- booka shade, my morning jacket, roger waters, justice

i missed a few that i had wanted to see, but i also saw some pretty epic ones that made up for it.


where to begin...well first off, i can now die happy having seen the-artist-formerly-known-as-prince-who-was-once-just-a-symbol. his performance flat out blew my mind. the guy's barely 5 feet tall but boy can he entertain. he played his classics, with a little help from sheila e, and everyone got down. the show took an unbelievable turn when his band started playing the very recognizable chords of "creep" by radiohead. that's right- prince covered mothafuckin radiohead. he altered the words a bit and never really said the word "creep", but it was still a performance for the books (or blog).


2nd in my top 3 mind-blowers of the weekend was m.i.a. not only did her sick beats make me wanna dance, her visuals were insanely cool. complete with super mario and duck hunt animation, this girl's unique creativity was apparent to everyone in that massive dance party of a tent. complete with an impromptu dance party on stage, m.i.a. killed that performance. the only critique i could even muster, if any, was the excessive gun shot sound effects. between songs, it was just gunshot and siren after another.


sunday was the perfect end to a great weekend. my posse and i landed a great spot near the main stage, which provided excellent views for my morning jacket and roger waters. i enjoyed both, but i must say, i would have enjoyed roger waters more if i was raised on pink floyd (or 50 years old) and did tons of drugs. his visuals were crazy, and i did enjoy seeing a giant inflatable pig with OBAMA in huge letters. we finished the night off with the justice show, or as i like to think of it, the hardest i've ever danced in my entire life. it really culminated a spectacular weekend.

some pics from the insanity:
cut copy

glen and marketa (beautiful as always)

st. vincent

m.i.a. (complete with on-stage dance party and duck hunt)

PRINCE

roger waters

obama pig

JUSTICE


video from booka shade's set

happy earth day

its funny how much you can learn from children's books.
i was reminded of this book while reflecting on the current state of the environment. i found striking similarities.

Dr. Seuss' classic story warns of the harmful effects of industrialization, over-consumption, and consumerism. the story features a greedy Once-ler (Us) who basically rapes the earth of its natural goodness for his own profit. The Lorax (Al Gore) warns the once-ler, saying that if he keeps taking and taking from the earth, there will be nothing left. basically, the once-ler igores the lorax's warning, continues taking the earth's resources, and is left with nothing (no earth, no business).


so let's stop being once-lers and protect mama earth.

covers and lovers

this just makes me so happy.
devendra and natalie: one's a beautiful spirit, the other's just plain beautiful.

coachella is nearing. anticipation is rising.
and with prince added to the bill, anything's possible.
been listening to cut copy's new album, in ghost colours, on repeat lately. it's so damn good. they're quickly becoming one of the groups i'm most psyched to see. looking forward to an amaaazing weekend.


on a different note, here are a few covers i've been really diggin lately. definitely worth a listen, (or if you're like me...15).

Constantines feat Feist- Islands In The Stream (Dolly Pardon cover)

M. Ward- Let My Love Open The Door (Pete Townshend cover)

The Watson Twins- Just Like Heaven (The Cure cover)

(note: to get the song, click on the link then download from the site)

this hardly deserves a post

actually, it totally deserves a post. because it's amazing.


now, we've all seen this:



and now, thanks to the brilliance that is south park, we have this:





i said what what.

just for fun

let's see who i'm psyched to see this year:



FRIDAY
the swell season*, mum, minus the bear, vampire weekend, cut copy (!!!), rogue wave


SATURDAY
portishead, kraftwerk, sasha & digweed, rilo kiley*, m.i.a. (!!!), hot chip, cold war kids*, devotchka, calvin harris, cinematic orchestra, the teenagers, vhs or beta, st. vincent*, mgmt, the bird and the bee*, new young pony club


SUNDAY
my morning jacket, justice (!!!), chromeo*, the streets, simian mobile disco, booka shade (!!!), sia, brett dennen*

(* = seeing them for the second/third time)


now, i know the chances of seeing all these guys are slim, but hey..dream big.

new justice

gotta love justice's music videos. they spell everything out for you.

foolish, sucka.

i am developing a new found love of all things new zealand.
or at least jemaine clement.

he had always been my pick during "who's funnier: brett or jemaine" debates, but after seeing his new film, eagle vs shark, he has cemented his status as the favorable conchord. this was one of those wanted-to-see-it-the-minute-the-trailer-ended type of films for me. and as expected, it was creative, funny, and all around adorable. eagle vs shark is the love story of jarrod and lilly, two awkward kindred spirits. the title comes from a "dress up like your favorite animal" party that jarrod hosts (jarrod dresses as an eagle, lily as a shark). the film has a very napoleon dynamite feel to it, from the animation on the party flier (similar to napoleons "liger" sketches) to the occasional electronic keyboard music in the background. what eagle vs shark does have, that napoleon dynamite lacks, is depth. now, while this movie is about as deep as a puddle, there are moments that make it more than just a quirky love story. learning the truth of how jarrod's brother died added a whole different element to the movie. the movie also features beautiful cinematography and a kick ass soundtrack. one of my favorite scenes in the movie featured M. Ward's cover of Bowie's "Let's Dance". the majority of the film features music from a group called The Phoenix Foundation, who i hadn't heard of, but now really dig.

i'm so sick of predictable, stereotypical love stories where even the next line can be predicted. i know eagle vs shark isn't a groundbreaking out of the box love story, but it's another example of relationships being predicted accurately: as awkward and unpredictable. go rent it.

best oscar moment ever

i never thought the oscars would actually make me cry.

that all changed tonight when Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova received the Best Song Oscar for their song "Falling Slowly" from the film Once.

seeing their film made me instantly drawn to them. i was in love with every aspect of the film, especially the music. the film produced, in my opinion, one of the best soundtracks i've ever heard. this is mainly because the music IS the film. i love the fact that when casting for the film, the director chose people who were primarily musicians, but could also act (and not the other way around). after having the soundtrack on repeat for months, i got the opportunity to see glen and marketa perform with their group, the swell season. i can honestly say that it was the best show i have ever seen in my life. i don't think i had ever seen that kind of live chemistry and raw talent before. they connected with the audience in a way that made every fan feel like they were chums with them. i feel extremely lucky to have seen them perform live.


as i watched them perform "Falling Slowly", i already felt happy for them. when it was time for the best song category, i was convinced that a song from Enchanted would win (a multi-million dollar hit with 3 song nominations..come on). the minute i heard their names announced, my heart dropped. i felt genuine happiness for people i had never met. their film, music, and talented spirits had captured my heart.

the academy finally got it right- recognition where it is deserved.

they needed to regain my respect from the three six mafia win.




in case you missed it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx8yLvb0gZM

back in action

note to self: don't neglect blog.

this things barely a month old and i'm already slacking.

i think the only way to get things back on track is to post a hillarious video with little british children (a weakness of mine).



Red Hot Chili Peppers- Charlie

Mellowdrone- Bitelip

Four Tet- Spirit Fingers

The Police- Wrapped Around Your Finger

whimsical

if you know me well enough, you know that there are three things in this world guaranteed to bring a smile to my face.
1) clean sheets 2) a full tank of gas and 3) discovering new music.

number 3 did it for me today, with mojib.

i've always been a fan of sampling/mash-ups. anyone who's browsed my collection knows that i've got some pretty random ones (lynard skynard vs nelly - "sweet home country grammar"... shut up i was in high school). i love the idea of taking singular pieces of music and throwing them into a melting pot of creativity.

the first mojib track i encountered was his remix of sigur rós' "staralfur." at first glance i thought, "that song is far too epic and in no need of a remix." however, after a listen or two, i was intrigued. i found tons of his stuff chock-full of samples from some of my favorite artists. with absolutely no insult to the original artists, this Swede sampler (one who samples) has put a twist on some pretty great songs. if there's one thing i hate about remixes/mash ups, its overly done mixes that completely lose the integrity of the original song. too many elements can sound cluttered, and not enough can sound like the original. this guy finds a happy medium.

for your listening pleasure:

Mojib- Break of Dawn
- featuring "Staralfur" by Sigur Rós

Mojib- Answering Machine at Night
- featuring "Lover I Don't Have To Love" by Bright Eyes and
"Cayman Islands" by Kings of Convenience

Mojib- Jonsered
- featuring "Recurring" by Bonobo
(side note: the original is pretty fantastic and definitely worth checking out)

Mojib- Underneath
- featuring "La Ritournelle" by Sébastien Tellier

Mojib- In A State
- featuring "Consequence" by The Notwist and vocals by UNKLE

definition of art

on the other hand:


"MTV: the billion-dollar 'round-the-clock hallucination spawned by the uneasy marriage of commerce and art"
-Tom Robbins

and it rained all night

it has been raining both cats and dogs in good ol' SoCal. this weather has called for hot soup&tea, good books, and digging up some Mint Royale that I feel fits the occasion.

enjoy, and stay dry.

Mint Royale- Singin' In The Rain (Radio Edit)

"look at how funky he is"

ive been nostalgic lately. whether it be wish upon a star, susie q, or teen witch (above), i've been digging up gems from my childhood. the fact that they are all easily found on youtube shows that there are other nostalgimaniacs like myself who indulge in the documentation of simpler times. excuse the generational conceit, but we really watched the best stuff back then. nickelodeon was all about salute your shorts, double dare, all that, and guts. now it's a-typical sitcoms with overpaid young actresses who get knocked up. cmon now. and disney- their original movies were the highlight of every month. now, it's hannahmontanamania. no more soul skaters and going richter with the sea urchins.

as much as i love my current situation (reality), there are times i'd like to go back, throw on my limited too sparkle sweatpants, pop in some savage garden, and curl up to some brink.

now is that so much to ask?




side note:
i do not find it at all lame for someone to know every word to the "top that" rap.

...

a new years resolution kept.

to think--I actually made/kept a new years resolution. this deserves documentation. in actuality, the idea of "blogging" has been loitering around the corners of my mind for some time now. blame it on procrastination, laziness, or the tendency of my ideas to be half-baked- this was long overdue.

i'll consider this an outlet. an outlet for thoughts on:
music (expect a huge chunk of my entries to be centered abound this topic)
films (movies i love/would love)
television (this topic is pretty much limited to flight of the conchords)
books (tidbits from current readings)
my ramblings that have nowhere else to go (self-explanitory)


aaaand we're off.