Happy Record Store Day!!!

Incubus, Make Yourself

Yep, got into these guys late--"Drive," that is--but love their earlier stuff.

This may be their best "album," & it provides the transition from much, much funkier, less-poppy stuff to the top-40 sounds of much of their later work.

Highlights: "Drive," of course, the title track, "Stellar," & the instrumental "Battlestar Scralatchtica."

Also, I simply love the concept of the title, & as the dude who told you that all literature to some (usually "large") extent is about the search for identity, I enjoy the idea of self-creation.

KETCHUP ON THE MUSIC ALERT
Beneath the class write-ups, you will find a rundown of the past several albums; I decided to put it lower for those who use this blog for academic reminders moreso that musical ideas.

Some great albums down there, so check it out.

Juniors:
Wow, those of you who spent time w/ the novella really got some good ideas out of it.

We discussed identity, psychology, truth & fiction, & about 100 other ideas this week.

We alluded to the usual suspects (Family Guy, Star Wars, DFW et al).

We alluded to some new suspects, including but not limited to The Box, Apocalypse Now, the novels of Chuck Palahniuk, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Clarke Rubel & many other great minds of the past & present.

We talked about the truth & the moral obligation to tell it.

Or not.

We thought about what it means to be "enthralled" w/ another person.

We looked at the characters & narrators & the styles throughout.

It was good.

Next week: looking back, more closely.

The following week: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce.


Sophomores:
Piggy got hit by that rock, & in the book it is simply a terrible consequence of lives gone awry.

Roger no longer "throws to miss," & society, morality, & even a piece of the soul seems to have gone away.

Now, in the film it's simply a poorly-shot scene that creates unintentional comedy.

We had some good discussion of what it all means in terms of the novel, what the title is all about, how Golding explores us, not just those kids on that island.

This weekend you will finish the 14 questions from "Notes on Lord of the Flies," which we started (1st 5 questions answered) in class Friday.

get those points! get them all!

be cool & check the music below (quick-rundown style)





Jonas Hellborg, Buckethead, & Michael Shrieve, Octave of the Holy Innocents

Many of you know of my (& my wife's) love of all (well, "most") things Buckethead, & if you're in the mood for some slow-jazzy-type maniacal instrumentation, grab this 1.

All 3 musicians here are simply virtuosos, & this is well worth your time.





Van Halen II

Not their best, but exceedingly good "teeth rock" or "smile rock," as it was called back then.

(I prefer Dave's term "big rock," but whatever.)

Highlights: "Beautiful Girls," "Dance the Night Away," & "Somebody Get Me a Doctor!"

(& all the rest, as every song they ever recorded w/ Dave rocks.)




Aerosmith, Toys in the Attic

You all know "Walk This Way," but the title track her is a much better song.

Also, the best ballad they ever recorded, "You See Me Crying," closes this album, & it almost always makes me listen to the whole thing again, which could lead to a vicious never-ending cycle.

Wow, both Van Halen & Aerosmith played such a role in my formative years . . . that I try not to think about where they are now . . .





The Mars Volta, De-Loused in the Comatorium

Their 1st, & to me, their best.

It's all good, & having seen them live a few years ago, I became even more impressed that such complex musci translates live.

Also, their singer is named "Cedric," so extra points there.




Once Soundtrack.

The movie is rated "R"--& as far as I can tell, it's only for some Irish-brogued "bad" words, as the other usual R-stuff is nowhere to be seen--so I won't recommend it, but I will say that at some point you should check it out.

The soundtrack is fantastic, especially "Falling Slowly."

Oh, & the scene in which the 2 main characters play that song in the music store is what movies should be about.



Matisyahi, Live at Stubb's

"King Without a Crown" & "Chop 'em Down."

Hasidic-Jewish reggae-rap-folk-rock.

'Nuff said.




Cheap Trick, Live at Budokan

Might be my 5th favorite live album (as of today, 1st 4 are Maiden's Live After Death, Kiss Alive!, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live at Luther College, & Frampton Comes Alive!)

(Live at Stubb's? Probably top 10.)

"I Want You to Want Me," "Surrender," & "Ain't That a Shame."



Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde

I am not the biggest Dylan fan--like The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Hendrix, & many others, I "respect" more than I "like"--but I'll take this 1 any day of the week.

& yes, twice on Sunday.

I have that poster of Dylan in my classroom because it so embodies the rock ethic that I love, but also because he come the closest to being a "poet" in popular music.

Oh, "Visions of Johanna."

That is all.

be cool