You'll never watch Toy Story the same way again...
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Ken Burns... You Better Watch Your Ass!
Well, as it so happens, my semester is finally winding down. I have just completed three finals one day. First, a cultural theory course followed by a journalism course where I had to turn in the project at 2:30 -- the only problem being that I had not done any interviews or done all of my research. I finished it at 2:25, ran to turn it in, and then took another exam on the history of the American city -- a slide show written exam -- fifteen minutes later.
Long story short, I am just about done.
Fun fact: last Sunday I stayed up all night working on the baseball project, making sure everything ended up going well. Around six or seven in the morning, I discovered another piece of information that was undocumented by other baseball books -- thus helping my research paper. Anyway, I stayed up all night working on it. When it finally came time to turn it in on Tuesday, me and about ten of my classmates arrived early with nothing left to do. It is quite common for us to show up early and joke around, but this was different; we had just accomplished something.
To celebrate, we decided to go to Sidebar, a popular bar (voted seventh best after-work bar in Atlanta) about 100 feet away from the Aderhold Building -- where our class is located -- we stayed, had drink or two, and then turned in our paper. After turning in our paper, we were done for the evening. Normally, we would have had a class presentation or rehersal for our final presentations of our papers, but because the professor was absent we were allowed to leave. The second I turned in my paper I turned to my classmates and said, "To the Sidebar!!!" and sure enough, about a third of us (and the cool third at that) decided to join us. Nothing like drinking when you should be in school.
I've been drinking with a couple of them throughout the semester, but I've never been a Pied Piper of alcohol, I liked it.
Oh, and in case why you're wondering what Ken Burns has to do with this, my research paper was on baseball. I covered the rise, operation, and downfall of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA), covering the years 1869-1876 to include the first professional baseball team. I plan on releasing this in a nine part series, hoping to make the articles fit a specific aspect of the era.
Long story short, I am just about done.
Fun fact: last Sunday I stayed up all night working on the baseball project, making sure everything ended up going well. Around six or seven in the morning, I discovered another piece of information that was undocumented by other baseball books -- thus helping my research paper. Anyway, I stayed up all night working on it. When it finally came time to turn it in on Tuesday, me and about ten of my classmates arrived early with nothing left to do. It is quite common for us to show up early and joke around, but this was different; we had just accomplished something.
To celebrate, we decided to go to Sidebar, a popular bar (voted seventh best after-work bar in Atlanta) about 100 feet away from the Aderhold Building -- where our class is located -- we stayed, had drink or two, and then turned in our paper. After turning in our paper, we were done for the evening. Normally, we would have had a class presentation or rehersal for our final presentations of our papers, but because the professor was absent we were allowed to leave. The second I turned in my paper I turned to my classmates and said, "To the Sidebar!!!" and sure enough, about a third of us (and the cool third at that) decided to join us. Nothing like drinking when you should be in school.
I've been drinking with a couple of them throughout the semester, but I've never been a Pied Piper of alcohol, I liked it.
Oh, and in case why you're wondering what Ken Burns has to do with this, my research paper was on baseball. I covered the rise, operation, and downfall of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA), covering the years 1869-1876 to include the first professional baseball team. I plan on releasing this in a nine part series, hoping to make the articles fit a specific aspect of the era.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
GTA -- the Diner
Did you ever play the Playstation game Grand Theft Auto 2? Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn't. Either way, they had this great retro song featured on three different radio stations, but each one was only a short snippit. Well, someone has decided to put them together to compose what the song should have been. Unfortunatly, it was composed for the game and no full-length track is available. According to Rockstar, the song is titled "The Diner" and is from "Tammy Boness & The Swingin Mammaries", Enjoy.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Lincoln the Comedian
As most people know, Lincoln was quite humorous. In one section of the February 15, 1869 edition of the Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, one can find two examples of his hilarity.
In the first example, located halfway through the article, recalls the story of Gen. Edwin H. Stoughton, who was famously captured by Mosby's Rangers (led by Confederate partisan John S. Mosby). Upon hearing of his capture, Lincoln replied, "I don't mind the Brigadier -- I can make a new one anytime -- but I'd like to get those horses back, they cost $125 apiece."
In the second example, featured on the very bottom of the article, another tale of Lincoln's wit is displayed when -- another military comander -- Gen. Robert C. Schenck -- declined to sign a military petition on the condition that he was "not asking favors of Abe Lincoln." Upon hearing this, Lincoln sent a letter to Schenck stating, "Ain't asking favors of me, eh? Read this." He then proceeded to show an application in which Schenck formally requested the assignment which he subsequently turned down when he stated that he was "not asking for favors."
(click on the link below to see the article for yourselves)
In the first example, located halfway through the article, recalls the story of Gen. Edwin H. Stoughton, who was famously captured by Mosby's Rangers (led by Confederate partisan John S. Mosby). Upon hearing of his capture, Lincoln replied, "I don't mind the Brigadier -- I can make a new one anytime -- but I'd like to get those horses back, they cost $125 apiece."
In the second example, featured on the very bottom of the article, another tale of Lincoln's wit is displayed when -- another military comander -- Gen. Robert C. Schenck -- declined to sign a military petition on the condition that he was "not asking favors of Abe Lincoln." Upon hearing this, Lincoln sent a letter to Schenck stating, "Ain't asking favors of me, eh? Read this." He then proceeded to show an application in which Schenck formally requested the assignment which he subsequently turned down when he stated that he was "not asking for favors."
(click on the link below to see the article for yourselves)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Artist Watch: Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Hannigan, who recently made her first appearance on The Colbert Report on Monday (3/09/09), has been a favorite artist to watch since late 2005. For those of you who may be wondering why her name sounds so familiar, it is because she made a now legendary appearance on Damien Rice' 2005 album "O". The most famous hit to come from that record -- and later featured on Shrek 3 was "9 Crimes". Hannigan's presence is felt throughout the album, as "O" is really a duet album instead of a solo album.
Hannigan's voice is perhaps the most hauntingly beautiful voice I have ever heard. Only twice in my life have I ever heard a song so beautiful that I had to stop what I was doing, immediately, and listen to it; "9 Crimes" was one of those songs. If I had to describe it, it would be smoky, sultry, powerfully submissive, emotional, and pure. It is like Norah Jones and Ingrid Michaelson merged voices, and then listened to the Cure. Her voice reminds me of a particular scene in the television show Scrubs in the episode "My Philosophy". It is unyieldingly beautiful, yet heart-breakingly sorrowful at the same time.
Here are some samples of her work with Damien Rice, remember, these are live recordings:
But as of 2007, the two agreed to go their separate ways. While maintaining a cordial working relationship, it was obvious that Hannigan's star was ready to shine and Rice couldn't have her to himself any longer. Recent recordings off her new album, "Sea Sew", is an example of her truer side -- as her music style is more bubbly than the somber ballads of Damien Rice.
Her first album is making its way through the late night rounds but has not yet become a radio fixture. While the radio has yet to make her a star, television may very well pave the way to her success. It has worked for many artists in recent years, Cat Power, Tegan & Sara, Ben Lee, Amos Lee, Brett Dennen, and hundreds of others are largly ignored on the radio but have developed a following among television producers who regularly air their music.
"I Don't Know" is an endearingly loving ballad of a woman in search of love. This personal ad, in song form, is very much like As Fast As' "Special" in lyrical style. The melody is very similiar to Ingrid Michaelson. This is definatly a feel-good track that would be perfect to listen to while driving down the highway on a warm evening. The best description that I could give this song would be a scenario in which a puppy wakes you up by giving you little kisses while delivering the morning paper -- simple happiness.
"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is half nursery rhyme ballad, half suicidal teenager anthem. It is like seeing Seal in concert: plesent to listen to, unpleasent to look at. What I really love about this track is it's pacing. The musical number is constant, reliable; Hannigan makes this song by creating a melody of words, telling the tale in stages without breaking them into segregated verses, as if she were pulling you along for the musical ride.
"Sea Song" has a sensual magnetism comparable to that of a James Bond musical track but one cannot help but think of "Fiddler on the Roof" in the back of their minds. (So, it is like a soundtrack to a Jewish James Bond film -- OH MY GOD!!! I would so watch that!!!) Hannigan is very seductive in this track, causing the listener to follow her deeper into the emotional depth of the song.
"Keep it All" is totally 80s rad. It has synthesizers, a rhythm very reminiscent with Q Lazzarus (yes that Q Lazzarus), and the most awesome roboting ever known to man. This work is much like the B-sides of Feist; catchy, rhythmic, popish, yet unique and clever. If nothing else, the video shows Hannigan as her true self. All of her other work prior to her solo album was depressing, lonely, somber tunes -- this is her declaration of joy, mischief, wonder, sexuality, and apparently dancing. This is the real Lisa Hannigan.
"Pistachio" is another track cut from the Feist cloth. This song starts out calm, like listening to the ocean while sipping margaritas, but then it splits into the second act, as if a storm were looming on the horizon; averting the melody to dive into the uhs, ohs, and ahs form of storytelling -- which reminds me of Bruce Springsteen (the guy can just screech into a microphone for half and hour without saying a tangible word and say more than Marky Mark did his entire career). Hannigan's soulful voice carries this track.
Hannigan's voice is perhaps the most hauntingly beautiful voice I have ever heard. Only twice in my life have I ever heard a song so beautiful that I had to stop what I was doing, immediately, and listen to it; "9 Crimes" was one of those songs. If I had to describe it, it would be smoky, sultry, powerfully submissive, emotional, and pure. It is like Norah Jones and Ingrid Michaelson merged voices, and then listened to the Cure. Her voice reminds me of a particular scene in the television show Scrubs in the episode "My Philosophy". It is unyieldingly beautiful, yet heart-breakingly sorrowful at the same time.
Here are some samples of her work with Damien Rice, remember, these are live recordings:
But as of 2007, the two agreed to go their separate ways. While maintaining a cordial working relationship, it was obvious that Hannigan's star was ready to shine and Rice couldn't have her to himself any longer. Recent recordings off her new album, "Sea Sew", is an example of her truer side -- as her music style is more bubbly than the somber ballads of Damien Rice.
Her first album is making its way through the late night rounds but has not yet become a radio fixture. While the radio has yet to make her a star, television may very well pave the way to her success. It has worked for many artists in recent years, Cat Power, Tegan & Sara, Ben Lee, Amos Lee, Brett Dennen, and hundreds of others are largly ignored on the radio but have developed a following among television producers who regularly air their music.
"I Don't Know" is an endearingly loving ballad of a woman in search of love. This personal ad, in song form, is very much like As Fast As' "Special" in lyrical style. The melody is very similiar to Ingrid Michaelson. This is definatly a feel-good track that would be perfect to listen to while driving down the highway on a warm evening. The best description that I could give this song would be a scenario in which a puppy wakes you up by giving you little kisses while delivering the morning paper -- simple happiness.
"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is half nursery rhyme ballad, half suicidal teenager anthem. It is like seeing Seal in concert: plesent to listen to, unpleasent to look at. What I really love about this track is it's pacing. The musical number is constant, reliable; Hannigan makes this song by creating a melody of words, telling the tale in stages without breaking them into segregated verses, as if she were pulling you along for the musical ride.
"Sea Song" has a sensual magnetism comparable to that of a James Bond musical track but one cannot help but think of "Fiddler on the Roof" in the back of their minds. (So, it is like a soundtrack to a Jewish James Bond film -- OH MY GOD!!! I would so watch that!!!) Hannigan is very seductive in this track, causing the listener to follow her deeper into the emotional depth of the song.
"Keep it All" is totally 80s rad. It has synthesizers, a rhythm very reminiscent with Q Lazzarus (yes that Q Lazzarus), and the most awesome roboting ever known to man. This work is much like the B-sides of Feist; catchy, rhythmic, popish, yet unique and clever. If nothing else, the video shows Hannigan as her true self. All of her other work prior to her solo album was depressing, lonely, somber tunes -- this is her declaration of joy, mischief, wonder, sexuality, and apparently dancing. This is the real Lisa Hannigan.
"Pistachio" is another track cut from the Feist cloth. This song starts out calm, like listening to the ocean while sipping margaritas, but then it splits into the second act, as if a storm were looming on the horizon; averting the melody to dive into the uhs, ohs, and ahs form of storytelling -- which reminds me of Bruce Springsteen (the guy can just screech into a microphone for half and hour without saying a tangible word and say more than Marky Mark did his entire career). Hannigan's soulful voice carries this track.
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