en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal The Last.fm journal for crai_zee_rana. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/11/19/3k0w_oh_my_effing_gawd..... Sun, 19 Nov 2006 08:20:05 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/11/19/3k0w_oh_my_effing_gawd..... this week was interesting....

so i saw The East Village Opera Company in concert at a venue about 15-20 minutes very chilly walk from my dorm...
it was spectacularly terrific, reminded me why I like artists like Yngwie Malmsteen and The Mars Volta...while EVOC didn't exactly redefine opera or make me want to go out and watch Rigoletto or anything, it was an amazing musical experience...

ok, ok, so the male vocalist had a voice so pretty it was almost effeminate (just in singing, he sounded like a completely normal, leather-clad guy when he talked), and there wasn't quite enough shredding, solo-ing, riffing, and otherwise absolutely ripping into pieces of the laws of physics by the rock-tastic guitarist.....BUT the show was well put together, contained several old old school opera pieces that made you want to cry like a baby, wondering what people would say did they know you were actually singing along to a 200 year old love song while at the same time banging your head so hard that the people around you started to make death wishes against your attack hair....

then, at the very end, the keyboardist starting singing that Eminem song that kidnapped some musical phrasing from Aerosmith and burned it alive....which completely threw everyone off, but I was cool and pretended to be gangsta, so it was all crunk, my homies...


And on another note that has absolutely nothing to do w/music persay, but more or less my vocal reaction to a horrifyingly traumatizing scene, I watched Borat today, yo....

About as funny as I expected it, more over-the-top than i expected it, and WAY more inclined to naked, obese, middle-aged men running around in hotel lobbies than I could've never hoped to see...a friend asked me, "what did they not use cellophane?"....I wonder if, trying to wash the taste out of his mouth afterwards, Sacha Baron Cohen thought about that crinkling sound that cellophane makes?

La Donna
Evoc
Verdi
Rossini
Russo/Capua
Peter Kieswalter
Tyley Ross]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/08/05/3k0v_you_know_you%27re_livin%27_in_2006_when... Sat, 5 Aug 2006 01:00:26 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/08/05/3k0v_you_know_you%27re_livin%27_in_2006_when... 1. You go to a party, sit down and take MySpace pics.















2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.















3. The reason for not staying in touch with your friends is that they don't have AIM/LiveJournal/MySpace/Last.Fm.















4. You'd rather look all over the house for the remote instead of just pushing the button on the TV.















6. Your evening activity is sitting at the computer.














7. You read this list, and keep nodding and smiling.















8. You think about how stupid you are for reading this.














9. You were too busy to notice number five.














10. You actually scrolled back up to check if there was a number five.















11. And now you're laughing at your stupidity.












12. And now I'm laughing at your stupidity. :D]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/07/03/3k0u_creh-zeh_listenings Mon, 3 Jul 2006 05:25:48 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/07/03/3k0u_creh-zeh_listenings Soso, my fellow audioscrobblers...these are albums that I've been listening to a lot (rather obsessively, if I might add), and so they've been jiggling, warping, and otherwise completely rearranging my charts around....


Antics

Yeay!!!...pretty much my first Interpol album ever...my brother bought the special edition w/the remixes and videos..videos ok, remixes superb, especially Public Pervert [Carlos D Remix]...C'mere makes me think of old times and people, opportunities lost.

Overall, I give it a double thumbs up/yeay!.


Rising Force

Ahhh...what to say???...starts off w/Black Star, which is superbly written and feels like you're gliding down the neck of the guitar, riding on the strings to the impossibly, infinitely dense center of a black star...err, black hole??...no way to describe...then Now Your Ships Are Burned w/it's pirate-ish appeal, Evil Eye (rather soundtracky feel, but one of my fave Malmsteens), the other-wordly and beautiful Icarus' Dream Suite (displaying Yngwie's multi-faceted talent), and the cunningly wicked Little Savage. [At this point I feel like I'm describing Oscar-winning Hollywood frucks or porn stars or something...]

Overall, VERRRRY awesome, wonderfully delicious, more so than Aunt Polly's cherry pie (which sucks, anyway). If you don't check it out I'll have to tell on you. A great big thanks to Cute Ben for the album, and kudos for having such great taste.


Instrumental Variations

Never even heard of this guy before 7 days ago or so, but in the same market as Yngwie Malmsteen, so I figured I'd give it a try(thanks again, Ben, you corrupter of me, ;) Interesting listen, even though the no vocals thing can drive you crazy if you're used to lots of them like I am. Good alternation between slow/fast-paced tracks, essential part of every good album. I liked Horizons w/it's Spanish guitar feel at the beginning, which gives a fullness to the album so that you know David T. Chastain isn't just about showing off his shredability. By the end of the album, though, I was quite glad it was over, sort of the kind of music you can od on.

Overall, good. Nothing like the genius of Malmsteen, but, eh, gotta start somewhere. :D


Black Holes and Revelations

As I write this I notice that the appropriate album art is NOT there yet, but since the album isn't actually up for sale in the UK and France until a few hours from now, I guess I can be nice about it for now (July 11th for the US!!!).

My first impression of the album came w/a listen of the live version of Supermassive Black Hole, which was VERRRY dissapointing but is now growing on me. I was hoping the rest of the album wouldn't be as mundane, as ordinary and mainstream-MTV-wash-out, and I was pleasantly relieved.

Take a Bow. Very good intro, excellent appetizer for a meal of revelations for which you'll need a black hole to swallow. Love how each stanza progressively grows in words to make the lyrics repetitive enough to put a point across ("Corrupt/You corrupt/Bring corruption to all that you touch").

Starlight is track #2 on the album (available for listen @http://www.muse.mu as of July 3). Very good, my favorite of the initial previews. Sets up a sort of expectant tone that is followed up by the message-ladden tracks after #3 (Supermassive Black Hole). One of brighter tracks, but still bittersweetly Muse.

Map of the Problematique (#4) is very apocalyptic, reminiscent of the feel of Absolution. Dark, broody, and so much freaking better than Supermassive Black Hole!!!....not to despair, the album doesn't leave it at chaotic frustration.

A Soldier's Poem, #5. Trying to say something about those in Iraq, or soldiers in general? Speaks of "no justice in the world" admist Queen-ish vocals.

Invincible....hmmm...rather hokey and with mushy message that seems aimed at five year old kids. Drum part reminds me of Sunday Bloody Sunday. Blehh...already said more than this track deserves (not that Sunday Bloody Sunday or U2 had it wrong).

Assassin and Exo Politics (#'s 7 & 8) are where the album finally comes out and brings the quality and thoughtful points that Muse fans expect. Turns out I had these two in live versions labeled as "New One III" and "New One IV." Wierd. "Assassin" is about revolution, "Exo politics" is about corruption in leadership (Hamlet, anyone?).

City Of Delusion alternates between forceful lyrics/vocals and sweeping trumpet music. The whole song has a sort of Spanish guitar/Mexican mariachi/Bohemian feel to it. Call for action.

Hoodoo slows down the pace to give you a break before the grand finale. "I will take the fall for you."

Knights of Cydonia (#11, final track if you're not in Japan).

"Come ride with me through the veils of history,
I'll show you a God falls asleep on the job,
How can we win when fools can be kings?
Don't waste your time or time will waste you

No-one's going to take me alive
The time has come to make things right
You and I must fight for our rights
You and I must fight to survive"

Harsh words to the ears of Christians, but best Muse lyrics in a long time.

The verdict: Starts out iffy, finishes strong with a little something to think about (rememberThoughts of a Dying Atheist?)

Find all lyrics for Black Holes and Revelations as well as previous albums here.



COMING SOON!!! Under The Iron Sea]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/06/30/3k0t_blehhh....... Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:28:21 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/06/30/3k0t_blehhh....... ....the "joys" of camping.

So, I had this brilliant IDEA when HannaH and I went to Priscila's house last month.

"Hey, why don't we go CAMPING???"

"Ok, GOOD IDEA."

Twenty-something days and over 70 tick/chigger/deep woods zombie bites later, do I still think it was a GOOD IDEA?

............

If your IDEA of a GOOD next few days is spending all your time scratching your butt and rubbing calamine lotion over unmentionable areas to forget for one instant the horrible curse of the chiggers from hell, then yes.


On the upshot, when I got bored, I'd start humming Yngwie Malmsteen...among the tracks stuck in my head was
Black Star....and we watched "What the Bleep Do We Know?", which was cool cos the old guy w/Einstein hair was crazy on crack or something...then a Nova episode on string theory, dissapointingly simple

Oh, and my wasp karma caught up w/me, too...over 18 years of avoiding them and then 3 kamikaze wasps went for me all at once....blehhhh.....oh, the joy of being out of doors....]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/06/03/3k0s_hmmm....._x_%252B_z_=_%3F%3F%3F%3F_%5Bwhat_if_they_mated%5D Sat, 3 Jun 2006 19:19:50 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/06/03/3k0s_hmmm....._x_%252B_z_=_%3F%3F%3F%3F_%5Bwhat_if_they_mated%5D I was looking at a friend's profile on myspace and listening to Muse at the same time just now....he has In Your Face on his profile, and I had Butterflies & Hurricanes going on windows media player...i think they sort of mated in my head and made this very interesting spot of music w/Children of Bodom's devilish vocals and Muse's almost ethereal undertones....hmm....]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/05/26/3k0r_suh-wheat!!!!!!_%5Bi_finally_got_an_album_by_the_mars_volta%5D Fri, 26 May 2006 23:45:16 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/05/26/3k0r_suh-wheat!!!!!!_%5Bi_finally_got_an_album_by_the_mars_volta%5D So, I walk into FYE yesterday afternoon, and what is it that I find for sale at $11.99???....only the most kick-@$$ cd I've bought in a while-ok, ok, the ONLY cd I've bought in a while, I'm poor.

I wanted to get but Frances the Mute , yah, know, four extra bucks that i ended up spending on the most freaking AWESOME muffins at Frulatti-but I diverge.

De-Loused In the Comatorium is one of the most original rock albums I've listened to ever. It's got some blues, some Latin flavor, some vocals worthy of Thom Yorke and Matthew Bellamy, and some Santana-ish guitar solos.

I'm listening to Eriatarka (track #6) right now. Kind of Pink Floydish in the quieter moments of psychedelic guitar solos. The drum part is a bit like John Bonham's in Moby Dick.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/05/20/3k0q_too_many_hugs_(aka,_you_get_an_honorary_choke_from_my_cord) Sat, 20 May 2006 04:50:01 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/05/20/3k0q_too_many_hugs_(aka,_you_get_an_honorary_choke_from_my_cord) i just graduated from high school a couple of hours ago...kind of cool except for the whole beta-club-sash-slapping-me, the tassel-getting-in-the-mouth, the not-having-mastered-the-art-of-sleeping-with-my-eyes-open, and let's not forget the getting-hugs-from-wierd-old-men-i-don't-even-know thing...it's insane...but at least preston smiled at me...that's a start..i thought he was starting to hate me...or be afraid...or maybe he was and was just smiling b/c he thought i was gonna bite his head off...hehe...people coming over tomorrow for carnitas and heinekens....YESSSSSSSSSSS......I'm my own enemy]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/05/13/3k0p_i_wonder_if_malmsteen_is_mortal Sat, 13 May 2006 01:16:16 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/05/13/3k0p_i_wonder_if_malmsteen_is_mortal i've been listening to a BUNCH of malmsteen lately...i have to say, Yngwie Malmsteen is one of the best guitar players ever...and i have my bum/drunk friend chris from ohio to thank for it...:D....oh, malmsteen....where have you been all my life

my favorite songs so far are Overture 1622, Pagannini's 5th Caprice, Bedroom Eyes and of course, the Zelda Theme song...i'm terrible at this markup tag thing...oh, and Flight of the Bumblebee rocks my socks...:D]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/04/09/3k0o_fan_club_for_jonno123%27s_hip_to_the_scene_hair Sun, 9 Apr 2006 06:04:25 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/04/09/3k0o_fan_club_for_jonno123%27s_hip_to_the_scene_hair the title says it all....who's willing to join me??

you know you want to.....



i can see you eyeing it......




just give in to the temptation.......]]> http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/04/03/3k0n_i%27ve_eaten..... Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:58:34 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/crai_zee_rana/journal/2006/04/03/3k0n_i%27ve_eaten..... 8 Oreos so far today...yum...i'm going to keep tabs on how many oreos i can eat before graduation...here goes....

ok, 12 now...

illegaly eating Oreos at a school library computer...17, whoot!

19......

19 + 4 + 1 + 6 = #)!!!!...uh, i mean, 30!!!!

19 + 4 + 1 + 6 + 6 chocolate creme...36

38...oh, yeah...

43...even though i know nobody is posting or even looking here anymore...oh, well

49!!!!

+ 12 + 8 = 69....three weeks left til graduation..hardy-harr-harrrrrrrrrr.....]]>