Friday, June 25, 2010

Cause What I Had Is Slippin' Fast, Dr. Howe Please Call Me Back

So hey, I'm starting to work a lot more. This means that I have a lot less time to just loaf around on my futon and listen to music and write whatever crosses my mind here. I still try to think about things to write about at work but don't always remember them.

So here goes: (it's all random music shit)

"Convinced I'm Wrong" by Polar Bear Club is hands down my favourite song at the moment. I got their last two albums at the same time and thought that Chasing Hamburg was the better of the two, even though everyone loves the fuck out of Sometimes Things Just Disappear. I have now realized that the opposite is true, and everyone's opinion is right. It is just a fucking crushing destroyer of an album. The song is the best way to end it. Hands down their best.


I Am The Avalanche's album is way better than I first gave it credit for upon my first few times hearing it. Like, it's really good, bra. The Movielife was an absolutely incredible band and to me this album seems like a great way to grow on that band's sound (if you don't know, Vinnie Caruna was/is the singer of both bands. IATA formed after The Movielife broke up). In my opinion this record sounds like a combination of Fugazi and Lifetime. Everything that's good right?

Bayside's Smoking Popes cover still really rules.

You know how I said about two posts ago that I had never gotten around to checking out Brand New's Your Favourite Weapon? I changed that. I like it. It's a rad album. Especially "Seventy Times Seven" and "Mix Tape", but those seem to be everyone's favourites off the album anyways.

I hadn't listened to Rehasher in way, way too long. Fast music rules.

Monday, June 21, 2010

I Don't Wanna Be In Your Penis-Chopping Family Anyways

Alright so I changed the setting on leaving comments on this blog. Now I have to approve all comments. I know this is a pain in the ass if you actually want to say something from personal experience.

Please do not let the approval from me needed for it deter you from posting one. Even if I don't know you!

But I get tons of spam comments for random Asian links. I find it really fucking annoying because I think "Hey, one of my friends or an interesting person may have some input on what I just posted!", but no the spammers just got me again.

So yea, again, to reiterate. Hope this doesn't piss you off too much.

Here's something to make up for it:

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Say Something

And follow up blog.

I usually start writing a blog (when it's not a post about a specific band/album/etc. or just a random one-liner thing) with a pretty decent idea of how it's going to start, then continue to flow and touch on all these great ideas that I for some reason feel the need to share. About, and I am ball-parking this figure, 100% of the time it winds up going differently and doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to sound. And I think "Fuck, why can't I get this to sound the way I want". But then I post it anyways.

Oh well.

Also, thinking about this randomly. I've never listened to all of Brand New's "Your Favourite Weapon". I listen to "Seventy Times Seven" on YouTube all the time and love the shit out of it. Like really, a lot. But some reason I have never put effort into looking past it. Weird, no?

Hopesick is nostalgia city right now for two summers ago and a good break from the gargantuan Living With Lions and blink-182 binge I've been on since Friday.

I've also been thinking of switching to a tumblr. Can I move all of this shit there? Tumblr seems a little cooler and I could probably link it up to other sites I use. But mostly I just like to write long posts, so maybe this would be better. I dunno. Input?

Plus I could probably make it look cooler that way.

See I just got you, nothing is cooler than metal shark with a "Heavy Metal" reject riding it.

Okay, done for real.

It's Seven Seventeen AM

I was randomly thinking about what people must read my blog recently. I've come to the conclusion that there are three types and they are as follows:

1. My close friends. For some reason, these people enjoy hanging out with me. They have spent enough time with me that they have learned to put up with my moronic ideas. They are such good people that they even read this blog because they might actually care what I have to say, even though it's mostly just me talking about bands that they don't like. I guess they also might be interested in when I write about my life and what I think about it, because they care about me. Or at least I hope so. I pretty much believe this because most of them have mentioned that they read it and I've never really said "Hey, go read my blog" to anyone, which leads to my next group...

2. Random acquaintances from Facebook. I have a link to my blog on my facebook, because I really do like it when people read this shit. This is how assume most of the people from the above group found it. They check my profile and underneath The Ergs! lyrics in that "write something about yourself" box is a link to this thing. I assume that people see a name come in their live feed and think "wow, I haven't talked/seen/thought about that person in a long time" and then click on their name to see what they are like/what they are up to. I assume this because I do this and my friends also do this. But anyways, I have tons of people of facebook that I don't keep in touch with whatsoever. I don't think it would be completely out of the ordinary for them to look at my profile and wonder what I would write about. I would wonder that, if it was the same scenario reversed. Other things I am thinking about are also tied into this, but I will touch on that later. So, yea, group number two: randoms from my life that I've fallen off with.

3. Completely random people. I only say this because there have been a few instances of comments left by people who I have never met and have no idea how they got to this blog. I'm not stupid enough to think this shitty page is some big draw on the internet, but I'm lead to believe from these comments that strangers pass through here every once in a while.

Looking back on how I divided those people I've realized how dumb it is. Those are basically the three categories for everyone on earth; people you keep in touch with, people you used to know and people you don't know yet. God I'm dumb.

So this thinking lead to me thinking what type of person all these different people (not trying to make it sound like a lot of people read what I write, seriously) think I am. I know that the people from the first category know me pretty much inside and out. Some maybe more than others, but generally they all have a pretty good idea of what I'm like. Obviously, why the hell would they be my best friends if they didn't? But I think there are a lot of sides to my personality.

I was interested in what the people from the second category think. A bunch of them are guys from my high-school I bet. They saw a lot of super-shy Tim. But didn't see let's-get-drunk-wild-party-time Timmmmaaaayyy. Definitely didn't see the more emotional basket-case Tim.

I guess it's sort of weird to think how you can be pigeonholed.

The random people probably think I'm a total punk rock nerd (well, I am) but haven't met the guy who sits in silence because he can't think of the perfect thing to say or the dude who puts on "Love Gun" by Kiss on the jukebox when he's at the bar with his friends.

I guess what I'm trying to say (please please please don't take this as being pretentious) is that I'm like the robots from Cybertron. There's more than meets the eye.

Ok, or non-douche sounding ending: I like a bunch of shit that you might not expect and usually take a while to completely open up to people.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

I Can Paraphrase An Old Cliche

So I guess, first this: Today is (technically, I just got back from the bar for my friend's birthday thing, back to back days and stuff) my birthday. It's nice to know that people give a shit about you. I like to think I have a great group of friends.


Secondly this: Don't worry, I'm not bummed. I'm just big on songs that reemphasize that fact that I'm doing okay at the moment.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

I'll Be Sad In Heaven

Still one of my favourite songs ever. This version is way simpler, doesn't have any of the corny instruments and stuff. I think it's the best example of a Replacements song. Awesome lyrics, rad guitar riffing.

I think that if you know the context of the song it makes it way better. It's a about a kid thinking to himself while on a drive to a water tower to jump off and commit suicide. So with that in mind, I think the ending of the song "Climb on to the top of this scummy water tower, screamin' "I can't hardly wait 'till it's over"" is pretty fucking gnarly. For me, it really paints a picture in my mind the kid actually doing it.

Fuck this song's awesome.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Expect The Worst

"So you got a raise this week? So you got a new car?
Oh how have I been lately? wouldn’t you like to compare.
Well since you asked: I’m clinically depressed,
I lost my job and everyone thinks I'm worthless.
Booze on my breath, holes in my shoes,
make no mistake, better off than you.
So what do I think of your success?
Ask me in 45 minutes when I'm drunk off my ass
so next time you won’t ask."

This one's definitely gonna be up there at the end of the year.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Heard A Song From The Album Boston Massachusetts

I have no desire to ever hear the following songs ever again for the rest of my life.

Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit
Oasis- Wonderwall
Journey- Don't Stop Believing

Also; The only way you can not like The Ergs! is if you are Mike Yannich's ex-girlfriend. Pretty much. I can already tell that today is going to be one of those days where all I do is listen through their entire discography over and over again. Mikey never wrote a bad song and neither did Jeff.

Actually I lied. I will be taking brief breaks after Upstairs/Downstairs ends each time to listen to Love Gun and Detroit Rock City by Kiss.

So yea.

Oh yea, and I want one of these:


Tuesday, June 8, 2010

You Can Sing All You Want, But I'm Not A Know It All

It's pretty ridiculous how much a movie/album/tv show character can mirror your own life. Now obviously everyone is going to say "Well Tim, there are just specific character types and some of those happen to be like you." But it's another thing when I'm watching a movie and all I can think is "Holy fuck, this is a mirror-image of my life."

It's also ridiculous how solid it makes you feel.

I think.

Coming Soon, To A Hairline Near You





































































It's gonna be an epic journey. Join me on it.

P.S. Week long bender starts Friday. Maybe Thursday.

You should join me on that too.




Monday, June 7, 2010

Camping Up With Rats, Having Some Meltdowns

I have nothing to say. I find that this happens when I don't write for awhile. It applies to any type of writing. If I don't write in this thing for awhile, I'm hard pressed to come up with something interesting enough for someone to want to read it, which is I guess part of why I started this. On the other hand if I get into a groove and write a bunch, I find it pretty easy to crank out shit every day. Same goes for school, the first essay is always to the hardest and after that they just walk out. Similar thing in writing songs, they come in batches I find.

So is this pattern because of something happening that's inspiring? Or because I'm bored have nothing else to do? Or because some days I can overcome my laziness just enough to write on this blog?

I dunno. And how many more times am I allowed to write about having nothing to say?

Back to all these Thrasher mags and the new This Is Hell cd.

Rad.

Friday, June 4, 2010

I Can't Impress Myself Tonight

I saw Living With Lions for the first time last year. For some reason I had confused them with this band, but then I read a review of the album that said they "continued in the vein as Saves The Day and Lifetime pop-punk." Well if you know me, then you know that saying someone sounds like Lifetime is pretty much the best thing you can do to sell me on them. I checked out their myspace and really liked what I heard a lot.

I was super stoked to see them and grabbed their debut full-length at the show. It fucking rules. 10 tracks and an outro, no filler. I had huge expectations for it and it didn't let me down at all. Looking back on it now, it was probably my favourite album from that year.

I just saw them again yesterday and they were just as great. It was an absolutely incredible show.

Reasons why they rule and are doing what they do right:

1. Their sound.
Nowadays in pop-punk too many bands fall into the blink-182/New Found Glory trap (don't worry I love both those bands to death, don't bust my balls for using them as an example), they just rehash the signature sound that both of those bands have. In blink's case they put simple guitar lines over the "pop-punk T" and try to be funny and try to write songs about girls but aren't the lyricist that Mark is. In NFG's case they write poppy songs and then try to throw a breakdown into every song. The lyrics are usually pretty brutal, because let's face it, New Found has had some pretty cringe worthy lines in their career. Living With Lions on the other hand, look to the bands that influenced those bands. They play poppy songs, but play them very very fast. The guitar lines have more to them than just your standard Tom Delonge d-string riff. They have a bit of a hardcore sensibility, not in that they try to put "posi" breakdowns (they don't) but that you can tell they all listen to hardcore.

2. Their merch.
First I got the brightest neon yellow shirt that has ever existed at their first show. At the last one I got a tank top with an exploding budweiser can and bikini girl on it. They also had a shirt that was Star Wars characters spelling out the band's name with "Shred Hard and Prosper" underneath it. I'll forgive using a Star Trek phrase on a Star Wars shirt because the band rules so much.

WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?

I'm sure the band wouldn't crucify if you downloaded their EP and full-length and then came out to a show to scream the words with me.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I Tried To Think Of A Quote From The Movie, But Forgot All The Good Ones

Stuff yo:

First, go here. Stream of the new Off With Their Heads record. I like them lots. You'll also like them if you're a fan of the following things: simple punk songs, gruff vocals, great melody and heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics that are extremely dark. Ryan doesn't beat around the bush with his song writing. He feels shitty and puts it all out there. So I guess if you hate heartfelt music, stay away from this one.

This band !Attention! is from Toronto. Rad pop-punk and probably breaking the Guiness world record for gruffest vocals ever. They're super fun though. New EP just came out and is free to download on this webpage.

Also; where did the saying "beat around the bush" come from? I tried looking that up after I typed above, but came up with nothing.

I watched The Stranger starring "Stone Cold" Steve Austin today. I laughed a lot. You should only watch that if you enjoy movies that are so completely terrible that they become funny like I do.


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

In Order For You To Play To This Record, We Must Tune Your Guitar To Ours. We Will Start With The First String.

Remember when I said I would come through with that Mixtapes EP? Well here you go. That EP been getting loads of plays lately. Very, very good!

Hey, so Kid Dynamite is reuniting for This Is Hardcore fest in Philly. I'm putting semi-serious thought into attending. While I most likely shouldn't because it will cost loads and loads of money, I imagine I would stop caring the second they tear into "Give 'Em The Ripped One". We'll see how that plays out I guess.

I watched Kick-Ass yesterday and if you haven't seen it yet, you totally fucking should because it rules super hard.

This is kind of an awkward time because the only time I work is weekends, which is sort of the opposite of everyone else. I also haven't gotten my first paycheck yet, so even though I have loads of time to do things, I do not have loads of money to do those things. Because now the TTC is $3, so me going anywhere with people would probably involve about $9 in transit fare on average. Plus factor food and shit and you've got close to a $20 day on your hands. These aren't very feasible when you've got about $70 in your bank account. So I've just got to pick and choose my places to have fun.

The result is days of me listening to lots of music in my room and watching a lot of baseball.

Meh.