MUXTAPE #3: je suis nasty

MUXTAPE

There are so many things in life I've missed out on. Music is an endless journey of discovery and very recently, I've discovered that I've been missing out on real post-punk and post-hardcore.

1. The Wedding Present - "Dalliance (Seamonsters)"
Steve Albini guiding one of England's most beloved bands through what would become their first major album. 1991 was an important year for music in the same way that 1979 and 1984 were for their respective decades. David Gedge wrote one of the best "side one track ones" I've heard recently.

2. Mission of Burma - "That's When I Reach for my Revolver (Signals, Calls and Marches reissue)"
Whenever people would talk about Mission of Burma, I thought they were making fun of me with their (more) elitist references.
Little did I know that people that listen to Mission of Burma weren't messing around. I'd always heard that Mission of Burma was "difficult" and that their music wasn't just for anyone; in actuality, it isn't that difficult and is one of the cornerstones for much of the music I listen to today.

3. Sunny Day Real Estate - "Seven (Diary)"
This is one of the first really angular songs I ever encountered at the tender young age of 14. I heard it and had no idea who it was. Soon after, I learned of the magic of Jeremy Enigk through the Emogame and found out just how amazing Diary was. It is now one of my favorite Seattle albums. Sunny Day Real Estate is totally the Seattle Fugazi.

4. Fugazi - "Brendan #1 (Repeater +3)"
Fugazi just fits so well, right after talking about a fake Fugazi. Before Repeater, I'd never heard drums so intense and yet so restrained. This song is the perfect example of this.

5. The Nation of Ulysses - "The Sound of Young America (13-Point Program to Destroy America)"
Svenonius is a genius. Without him, there would be no Refused and I would have no manifesto. I love the idea of rebellion through obedience.

6. Geno - "Act 1 (Free DVDS)"
Brzezicki is a genius. Free DVDS was wonderful and it's only a matter of time before he blows my mind again. The way this is recorded is pretty great; the guitar sounds so sparse and is perfect.

7. Boris - "となりのサターン (SMILE)"
This little gem is directly in the middle of the new Boris album and it took me a long time to get to it. Usually, with a Boris album, I'll get so stoked on the first two songs that I won't get past them. SMILE is a great example of this. "メッセージ" and "BUZZ-IN" are two brain rattling opening tracks. The drums in the verses, set behind the guitar playing the keyboard parts, are beautiful, but then Boris makes you remember why you liked them in the first place.

8. Pink & Brown - "Je Suis Nasty (Final Foods)"
I always thought of Pink & Brown as some sort of ripoff Lightning Bolt and it's not hard to draw comparisons, but they are genius in their own way.

9. Hella - "Welcome to the Jungle Baby, Your gonna live! (The Devil Isn't Red)"
Old Hella is pretty mind-melting. Get stoked on it.

What Summer 2008 means to me

The last few weeks, I've been floundering, not quite sure what this summer was going to bring. There's usually some sort of determination at the end of the school year to either keep the good spirit going or change things altogether. I really came away from this year with mixed feelings. So many things happened this year and I'm not sure what to do. It was generally a mixed bag all year long, with amazing highs and ridiculous lows. What this has left me was extreme appreciation for this exact moment. I still lose sight of what's going on right now, but I know that the second it really goes wrong, it's because I've strayed too far from living presently.

I've been working for a week now, and it's only going to get more intense as the summer goes on. I'm currently working 4 days a week in the office, two of those being scheduled half days. Both of the "half" days last week, I ended up working full days. The other day is devoted to "catching up" even though it's only Tuesday. I guess I knew that I would need the break because I ended up picking up another job for later in the summer that will involve me working on the weekends. At least I'm getting paid for one of these jobs.

All of this being said, summer 2008 maybe won't be so "great." As of right now, all I can see is stress and more white hair, but I've decided that I can still salvage some of the summer and give it a theme that's worthy of working towards.

I guess there really isn't a name for summer 2008 yet; what I really hope is that I can take shelter somewhere until it's over. I've always had a strange relationship with summer. I've never been particularly active during the summer. I've never had a real "summer job." I've never really done much of anything, but I've never particularly wanted summer to end. This is the first year that I've had real thoughts about wanting it to just be over so I can go back to school, which is just as terrifying because it's my last year. I really don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing after next year is over.

One of the things that I need from this summer is relaxation. I also would like for this summer to be about civility. These things haven't been hallmarks of summers past, so I've decided that it merits a new activity, something that I haven't tried before; this summer, I will be hosting tea parties!

Over the last year, I've become a food fanatic. I'm even a bit snobby sometimes. I've decided that food is something that isn't just for function; it is to be enjoyed. Through this, I've also realized the power of a good sommelier. Pairing a wine with food is an art. This has been a slow discovery for me, beginning with tacos, mariscos and sangria. The nature of the food and the drink changes in combination. I still don't drink actual alcohol, however I've decided to take the idea of the sommelier and apply it to something I'm more comfortable with: teas. Summer is all about refreshing tastes and what's more refreshing than a tall glass of iced tea?

So this summer, expect to see an invitation coming your way. Love you all.