FIRE!
The Audacity of Rock: Part 34
Posted by Kelsy at Thursday, November 19, 2009 Labels: Gary Wright, Kings of Leon, music 11/19/2009My real life put on screen: Glee
Posted by Kelsy at Thursday, November 19, 2009 Labels: film, music, reminiscences, tvBecause friends listen to "Endless Love" in the dark.
Cannonball Read #2: Sweet Valley Senior Year #12: Bad Girl
Posted by Kelsy at Friday, November 13, 2009 Labels: cannonball read, literature 11/13/2009
My brain is mush from midterms, so I turned to a classic series from my middle school days, Sweet Valley Senior Year. A spin-off of sorts of the Sweet Valley High series, the series picks up after an earthquake hits Sweet Valley and the surrounding fictional California towns. The Wakefield twins, popular Jessica and studious Elizabeth, have their lives shaken up by the event. Jessica is no longer popular and Elizabeth has gotten into an on-again-off-again with brooding musician Conner who's house she lived in after the earthquake (sans parents!). Obviously, there's more drama and characters to go around, but what's really essential to know is that all Sweet Valley Senior Year books are like reading "The OC," but less clever.
Book 12, Bad Girl, is the epitome of teen angst. I forgot what a joy teen series are. They're quick and easy reads with comfortable characters you already know, and really like you're reading a TV show: different author writes each book (although it's still under the name of creator Francine Pascal), the scenes are short and sweet, and many characters make up many story lines. Also, they only take a couple hours to read.
Elizabeth ends up having to talk to the school counselor, who then tips off her parents that she's struggling with aftermath the earthquake. Overly strict parenting and subsequent rebellion ensue. All of this is to say, it's hilariously cliche and the perfect read for someone who can't think about anything of substance anymore.
But the real highlight of the Senior Year series is the "handwritten" diary pages and various emails in the chapter interims. You get some angsty and often times legitimately funny interior dialogue and perspective from the characters. If you think about it, it's like how The Office and various other sitcoms have used the documentary talking head interviews to make a situation funnier. In this case, it's absolutely funnier with a character's perspective front and center.
But that inner dialogue is no competition for hilarious narration. I mean, when you read a chapter that ends with this:
Conner walked over and roughly pulled open the diriver's-side door.
He could pretend all he wanted to. But he knew the Elizabeth factor always affected everything."
You know you've got great teen lit in your hands.
The Audacity of Rock: Part 33
Posted by Kelsy at Thursday, November 12, 2009 Labels: Grizzly Bear, music, Steely Dan, the audacity of rock 11/12/2009Weird chord progressions and crazy lyrics.
Sometimes I don't know whether I hate or love a band because they're just so weird. Maybe I should just settle for unique affection?
"Don't Take Me Alive" by Steely Dan (1976)
Truthfully, I don't know too much of Steely Dan's music, but the jazz-rock underground classic band is instantly recognizable. They use funky chord progressions and eccentric lyrics to create...I don't even know. "Don't Take Me Alive" might be about the old West if it weren't for the megaphone reference (*mu chord*). Also, what's with the pronunciation of "Oregon?" Yes, that is what they're saying.
"Ready, Able" by Grizzly Bear (2009)
While Grizzly Bear is probably more psychedelic/Radiohead than jazzy, their music is still jarring. The song never goes where you expect in terms of chord progressions, vocals, harmonies, or use of instruments. I also have no idea what they're singing about in "Ready, Able," but it sure is pretty, and the music video will give you nightmares.
Questions:
1. What's with Seattle and Steely Dan? Every time I turn it on classic rock, there they are.
2. What's your favorite crazy/odd but good band?
Cartoon Network > Andy Samberg
Posted by Kelsy at Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Labels: Andy Samberg, bring the random 11/11/2009Today, after losing a game of Monopoly to the kid I nanny, he turned on the TV to watch some Teen Titans*. The following was one of Cartoon Network's random in between shows things:
And it occurred to me that it was way funnier than 3/4 of Andy Samberg's digital shorts.
There's beauty in brevity, Andy, and you usually overstay your welcome. Case in point:
I want to like you, but you're just not that funny on your own for more than a minute. Sometimes, bad is just bad and not funny. I'm sorry you just got owned by some kid with sunglasses who probably didn't even write that ridiculous number about walking a squirrel.
Thrift store flannel. Ha!
*A surprisingly watchable show.
