tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122904722024-03-06T21:26:28.203-08:00The CopelandPatrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.comBlogger485125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-56010443085094519402012-01-02T09:43:00.000-08:002012-01-02T09:43:15.060-08:0011 of 11<b>11) Washed Out - “Within and Without”</b><br />
Georgia native and a founding father of the “Chillwave” genre, Ernest Greene chose to defy those that said Chillwave was dead. Greene delivers an album that – in its entirety - is beautiful, ethereal and, yes, very chill. The minutia and rich layering make for a thoughtful record that will certainly keep Chillwave afloat for at least another year.<br />
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10) F*cked Up - “David Comes to Life”</b><br />
Canadian punk rockers, F*ucked Up delivered one of this year’s most passionate albums with “David Comes to Life.” Gritty guitars, raw vocals and drums that are as punk as they come keep this compilation of 18 tracks rolling. Now, the album won’t be everyone’s cup o’ tea, but if you’re looking for some great, gettin’-rowdy music, “David Comes to Life” brings it and brings it big. <br />
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<b>9) Nils Frahm - “ Felt”</b><br />
The award for minimalist album of the year goes to Nils Frahm for his beautiful album, “Felt.” The title for the album came from the idea to cover the strings of the piano with felt to create a quite, natural piano sound that – when recorded – make the listener feel like they’re in the room, next to the piano while he’s playing. “Felt” is no frills, quite and calm. An all around instrumental masterpiece. <br />
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<b>8) PJ Harvey - “Let England Shake”</b><br />
Bizarre and wonderful are two words that can pretty much sum up “Let England Shake.” It’s easily one of the most creatively orchestrated albums of the year. Harvey delivers her best effort to date. A painstaking labor of love. An odd, beautiful work that is a true delight. <br />
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<b>7) Fleet Foxes -“Helplessness Blues”</b><br />
Not to be outdone by the Brits, Seattle indie rockers, Fleet Foxes, return with their second full-length and 2011’s folksy/indie treasure. Unlike typical Seattle weather, “Helplessness Blues” is bright, cheerful, warm and something you don’t want to end. <br />
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<b>6) The Rapture - “In the Grace of Your Love”</b><br />
If anyone laughs when they hear the term “dance punk,” take one listen to “In The Grace of Your Love” and you’ll see that it all makes sense. As the album title suggests, you can expect a spiritual performance from these New Yorkers. However, with this album, you probably won’t find yourself lifting your hands to the heavens in worship. Rather, you’ll be tapping your foot and bobbing your head without even thinking about it. The record is equal parts dance, electronica and punk and somehow, the band makes it all work tastefully, wonderfully and – dare I say – divinely? <br />
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<b>5) James Blake - “James Blake”</b><br />
British, dub-step wonder kid, James Blake surprised everyone with this year’s self-title record. At age 22, Blake dropped an album that has redefined the idea of dub-step and made skeptics into believers. Included in the tracks is the haunting cover of Feist’s song, “Limit to Your Love.” From start to finish, this album is one that everyone should definitely check out. One of the best vocal performances on an album this year. <br />
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<b>4) Big K.R.I.T. - “Return of 4Eva”</b><br />
Just when everybody thought that Dirty South Hip Hop had run its course, the likes of numbers four and three on this list jumped onto the scene and made massive waves…all with a thick, Southern drawl. Big K.R.I.T. arrived on the scene with his LP “Return of 4Eva,” releasing it free on his website. Suddenly everyone in the biz was knocking at his door asking him to produce them or collaborate with them. The album as a whole is a tasty blend of late 90’s Dirty South Rap, West Coast Hip Hop and traditional R&B. It’s 21 tracks of near perfection. <br />
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<b>3) G-Side - “Island”</b><br />
Like Big K.R.I.T., Hunstville, AL natives, G-Side seemingly came out of nowhere and delighted critics and listeners with “Island.” The duo perfectly blend synths and beats and serve up 14 tracks of southern-fried rap with a side of greens and cornbread. The album is certainly the best hip-hop from 2011. Roll Tide, y’all!<br />
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<b>2) M 83 - “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming”</b><br />
French, electronic music mastermind, Anthony Gonzalez, undoubtedly has the Midas touch. His previous albums received much deserved acclaim. This time around, Gonzalez – inspired by The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness” – took it to 11 releasing an ambitious double LP. His reasoning was similar to Billy Cogran’s; if you have a lot of songs that you think are great and are proud of, why not just release them all? Do they have to flow together perfectly or make sense to be on the same album together? Not at all, Gonzalez reasoned. Some tracks are massive electronic masterpieces and others are more stripped down and acoustic. While the dynamic of the songs change frequently, they all seem to work perfectly with each other, telling a wonderful story and proving that creativity and boldness sometimes bring great things. <br />
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1) Bon Iver – “Bon Iver”</b><br />
You don’t believe the hype, you say? You absolutely should. Love him or hate him, Justin Vernon delivered the best album of 2011. Bon Iver may not be for everyone. Some think it’s too sappy. Others don’t like the non-traditional song structure. I say, who cares what you think? If you give this album an objective listen you will hear a near-perfect compilation of tracks that were crafted with equal parts musical brilliance and a true love for art. Grammy nods and critical praise are all deserved. This album will be hard to top in years to come. Not much else can be said. <br />
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*Honorable Mentions: Frank Ocean - “Nostalgia,” Das Racist – “Relax,” - Feist – “Metals,” Adele – “21,” A Winged Victory for the Sullen – “S/T”Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-58878391307320652122011-07-09T09:39:00.000-07:002011-07-09T09:39:23.973-07:00Rest<iframe id="NBC Video Widget" width="512" height="347" src="http://www.nbc.com/assets/video/widget/widget.html?vid=1335604" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
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Country legend, Chet Atkins, was quoted, "Once you become predictable, no one's interested anymore." And predictability could have certainly been the case for Justin Vernon's latest self-titled release, <a href="http://boniver.org/">Bon Iver</a>. Thankfully, Vernon aspired to take a different route than he did on his critically acclaimed first album, "For Emma, Forever Ago." His intentional departure from the minimalist, stripped-down sound of "For Emma..." was mostly unexpected and - at the same time - entirely welcomed.<br />
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In contrast to "For Emma..." the new release embraces new, more synthetic sounds, glossy production and the addition of several new musicians. The result is 10 tracks, perfectly flowing in a journey across states and countries (as are indicated by his album titles), over mountains and valleys, through emotional highs and low. And the result is nothing short of transcendent. <br />
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While many fans were hoping (or expecting) an album similar to the first, Bon Iver has once again melted the hearts of listeners and critics alike. Even the downers over at <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15551-bon-iver/">Pitchfork gave the record one of the highest ratings ever</a>.<br />
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Check out the video above for his unprecedented version of Holocene on Jimmy Fallon and if you care to share your thoughts on the record, I'd love to chat.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-37124930597375627992011-06-14T09:59:00.000-07:002011-06-14T09:59:25.811-07:00The Lost and the Captor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGC5CM20J9eeYAESCOFbMfjKZt6QeNux7Sa8FSZ_Ebtt1Pjla7hKU2Sl3yssRM3k7BzPsOFYAPRfpGZbU4dn5yrt7Il5drRhRF4tfh0ZX9V1ss9mlhKDe0UnGgc3pxHFH6_3uhw/s1600/waitingforsupermanposter012410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="220" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGC5CM20J9eeYAESCOFbMfjKZt6QeNux7Sa8FSZ_Ebtt1Pjla7hKU2Sl3yssRM3k7BzPsOFYAPRfpGZbU4dn5yrt7Il5drRhRF4tfh0ZX9V1ss9mlhKDe0UnGgc3pxHFH6_3uhw/s400/waitingforsupermanposter012410.jpg" /></a></div><br />
With the political and social climate mostly centering around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring">The Arab Spring</a>, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/energy/">oil prices</a>, <a href="http://caleglendening.com/blog/joplin/">nationwide tornadoes</a> and other natural disasters, little is said or heard about the state of education in America. Thankfully Davis Guggenheim (who brought us such insightful documentaries as <i>An Inconvenient Truth</i> and <i>It Might Get Loud</i>) took a deeper look into the flawed system of public schools and the unions and how - for decades - this system has set children in public school systems up for ultimate failure.<br />
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The 2010 documentary narrated by Guggenheim was received with much praise as well as some criticism. Lauded openly as the voice for many parents with children in the public system, the film covers the history of the public school system and the teacher's unions to whom it is essentially bound. It's stated frequently that tenure protects teachers that ultimately don't care about students progress and reminding the viewer that teachers that consistently perform well are still only compensated poorly relative to their performance. <br />
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Most criticism, however, came in the form of jeers from within the system citing that the film neglected to point out the tremendous lack of funds that schools receive each year (whether federally or on the state level). <br />
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On the (terribly overlook and often discounted) upside, the film follows a few leaders who've created charter (aka lottery) schools in which they can actually say "No Child Left Behind," a term coined by George W. Bush and has ultimately failed in a major way. These schools pay the utmost attention to students and compensate teachers appropriately. The crux, however, is that these schools are always at capacity, leaving potential students at the hand of an annual lottery drawing to see if they get in (most lotteries can only accept 10-20% of applicants).<br />
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The film, is engaging, informed, pointed, and extremely well produced and is worth the 111 minute run time. Check it out. And if you have already, post your feedback.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-34964999518088465842011-05-10T13:23:00.000-07:002011-05-10T13:23:35.088-07:00It's Been A While<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3N2CmmSRJxtaz82qBp7eojfSJ5_tKmPYcLNjLOGAaOapJ-emsBWd58jM5WMIJyQUfkc7jfqkO33fLCz2r3PoJMipEO4jYV9hePehkwvv5B_sJBtm5N-CubeF2hzY6rD9FFA7xw/s1600/IMG_1179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3N2CmmSRJxtaz82qBp7eojfSJ5_tKmPYcLNjLOGAaOapJ-emsBWd58jM5WMIJyQUfkc7jfqkO33fLCz2r3PoJMipEO4jYV9hePehkwvv5B_sJBtm5N-CubeF2hzY6rD9FFA7xw/s400/IMG_1179.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Who knew a 5-month hiatus was just what I needed? Not I. But alas, there's so much I could spend time ranting about, however, I would like to simply share some musical ideas I've been working on over the last several months. It's nothing fancy or even complete, but something I've been looking to share. Download and enjoy (or don't if that's not your thing).<br />
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The first track is much brighter while the second track is an attempt at the darker side of things:<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F15031447"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F15031447" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/the_copeland/song-b">Song B</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/the_copeland">The_Copeland</a></span> <br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F15031491"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F15031491" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/the_copeland/organ1">Organ1</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/the_copeland">The_Copeland</a></span>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-21906509410736623812011-01-22T09:29:00.000-08:002011-01-22T09:29:24.095-08:00The Land of No Return<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkBsMDEJnQBXw_45DAy0a4OfekfYnvepcjlB-z92iM6xhjPEHk_JfBkgAoz9NyAatlV4sxGJU_r8a1q8k1UX5M_doN-oULWO9rXcXh3QNL0zHrxOxCQ2tC1G4bRyRFJhlsK8o6g/s1600/blackswan_poster_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="206" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkBsMDEJnQBXw_45DAy0a4OfekfYnvepcjlB-z92iM6xhjPEHk_JfBkgAoz9NyAatlV4sxGJU_r8a1q8k1UX5M_doN-oULWO9rXcXh3QNL0zHrxOxCQ2tC1G4bRyRFJhlsK8o6g/s400/blackswan_poster_m.jpg" /></a></div>The next film in discussion is <a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/blackswan/">Black Swan</a>. Directed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004716/">Darren Aronofsky</a> (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler), this film is the epitome of beauty and tension. Starting with the beautiful cast of Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and the driving force of the film, Vincent Cassel, and adding to that the beauty of Aronofsky's direction. <br />
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The story follows the timid perfectionist, Nina Sayers (Portman), in her quest to be the leading role in the annual production of the ballet, Swan Lake. Her aspiration to play the graceful white swan as well as the evil black swan is her ultimate goal. And with pressure from her mother (Barbara Hershey) and her director/choreographer (Cassel), Sayers performance of the rolls becomes perfect, all the while her life and her psyche begin to quickly and unpredictably unravel. However, the plot builds slowly and perfectly to a crescendo at which point the film ends. <br />
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This is another film that is worth the accolades and the hype. Each cast member delivers a near-perfect performance and Aronofsky's work behind the camera captures those performances wonderfully. If you have a light heart, however, you might want to approach this film with heavy caution. It is intense, dark and eerie in so many fantastic ways.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-47076694606264293472011-01-22T08:56:00.000-08:002011-01-22T08:58:01.495-08:00Returning Empty Handed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oyKKCA1vEZDrJh8XWDx55bYfIDBnuAj_LfrI7oMsb66kZB0lEfxEB94CIXac6vLJtqF7Sjul_CuUAWQkDGKWPE89YZc9NdFeTsFbQktTU5L9M_RBVBDm0IcX0YWinysfT2pYag/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="190" width="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oyKKCA1vEZDrJh8XWDx55bYfIDBnuAj_LfrI7oMsb66kZB0lEfxEB94CIXac6vLJtqF7Sjul_CuUAWQkDGKWPE89YZc9NdFeTsFbQktTU5L9M_RBVBDm0IcX0YWinysfT2pYag/s400/images.jpg" /></a></div>In the spirit of getting back on the saddle with the blog, it was decided to cover a series of recently released films. Starting with the Coen brothers' remake of the John Wayne classic, <a href="http://www.truegritmovie.com/?gclid=COTPh8OhzqYCFVBe2godpSelHw">True Grit</a>. <br />
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Now, how can one remake a John Wayne film and really nail it? Well, start with a cast or cinematic rockstars including Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and the brilliant newbie, Hailee Steinfeld. And throw in some expected and highly-enjoyable Coen whimsy and there you have it. <br />
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The film - set in the old south - provided the perfect backdrop for the story about a young girl seeking vindication for her father's murder and enlisting the help of the not-by-the-books US Marshall, Rooster Cogburn (Bridges). And the on-screen dynamic among each of the characters was nothing short of top tier. <br />
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To be brief, the film certainly deserves its accolade as the number one movie in America for weeks on end as well as its Golden Globe and Oscar awards/nods. This is one to see on the big screen, as well, if only for the sound of old rifles firing and bullets ricocheting all around.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-4826439879323311112010-12-18T12:14:00.000-08:002010-12-18T12:14:52.897-08:00It's OK To Say That You Love Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ceelogreen.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IiIClxrgcam9AfcKmF-Ym7Zaf3ndVSeMlv1vQedbIRML_FPFsUXWs0BWkZsw7-oJkbR_JCQ0-OHHhkzHYOs0xWcBYsz4Eh-tTHtSUESSsU9O_q34BEoloy04ISRjo3FF6klRjQ/s320/bWPhl5yDnaG3Zpaiilt0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here we are. Yes, you and me. Me and you. The end of 2010 and with it brings this, the 500th blog post of The Copeland. And what better way to celebrate than with an end of the year list. The list (by way of reality) is a fair blend of true objectivity and un-adulterated subjectivity*. <br />
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And so here are the top albums of 2010 (in no particular order):<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfySK7CLEEg"><br />
The National: High Violet</a><br />
Seemingly the most focused effort to date for the 5 (plus) piece from Brooklyn by way of Cincinnati. This album is wonderfully dark and haunting with perfect dashes of whimsy and beauty. Each of the 11 tracks flow seamlessly into each other and creates comprehensive and utterly fantastic album.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW05tcG3Fgw&feature=channel">Robyn: Body Talk</a><br />
This series of albums came at a time when pop music is only defined by what Ke$ha and Katy Perry-Brand are putting into the top 40 (or at least what Dr. Luke is writing for them). So, it's nice to see Swedish import, Robyn, step into the dance/pop light stateside. She creates an undeniably perfect blend or pop, dance and electronica with a maturity that every other dance-pop diva could only hope for. And even though her following is stereotypically gay men and single women, no one can keep themselves from getting sucked in when listening to any of the Body Talk albums.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fheYx_ZPU18">Sleigh Bells: Treats</a><br />
This Brookly duo delivers "Treats," a gritty, poppy, funky, rock album that would get any high school football team hyped up in the locker room before the big game. It's speaker-busting beats with nasty guitar riffs paired with Singer, Alexis Krauss's sultry voice make for - although fairly homogeneous - an album that is so different and stands out so much more than almost any other record this year.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaPBCBjSVc">The Black Keys - Brothers</a><br />
Newly Nashville transplants, The Black Keys, keep creating great music. And "Brothers" is no exception. It's soulful, tasteful and loaded with riffs and grooves that will keep you hitting repeat. They guys do so a great job of taking a vintage rock style and keeping it fresh and modern. This is a record you must purchase.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePTCbqMqccM"><br />
Jónsi - Go</a><br />
The Sigur Rós frontman stepped away from the band in 2010 and pieced together his first solo record simply titled "Go." What was years in the making came together as what may be the most beautiful record to have been released in the past few years. The album - anchored by two blockbuster U.S. tours and one world tour - is layered with inspiring compositions, rich textures and visual aspects (both art and video) to match. Jónsi took the definition of art literally with this project. And it's result leaves you wholly in awe.<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/10468604">Hammock: Chasing After Shadows...Living with the Ghosts</a><br />
Nashville duo and former songwriting masters in the Christian music industry have been writing and releasing music under the moniker of Hammock for several years now. Like many others on this list, Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson have composed easily their best material to date. The album received rave reviews from across the globe and helped put Nashville on the ambient/instrumental world's map. The album requires a lot of patience from the listener, but all time committed to listening is well worth it. This is definitely not a 'background music' ambient record. You'll want to listen to every track with and attentive ear. And for that, your ears will most certainly be blessed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oI27uSzxNQ">Arcade Fire: The Suburbs</a><br />
The darlings of indie rock have done it again. "The Suburbs" was one of the most anticipated records of the year and it did not disappoint. It simply rocks in the most creative of ways. There's ample of amounts of fascinating minutia on the record that it will take many spins to really understand the brilliance that is Arcade Fire.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU9TouRnO84">Rick Ross: Teflon Don</a><br />
Hip hop made the list and, no, it's not Kanye West (who you will not see on this list). Mississippi-born William Leonard Roberts II has flown mostly under the mainstream hip-hop radar. But the release of "Teflon Don" certainly pushed Ross into the limelight as well as many "Best Of" lists this year. And the praise is not without merit. Ross' creativity in music and truly thuggish flows make this an album any rap alum will appreciate and and give mad respect.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5RzpPrOd-4">Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest</a><br />
This is possibly the oddest selection for the list, but it's undeniably one of the best of the year. The record is definitely different, but is thoughtful and beautiful and lacks any hint of pretension. It takes a while to understand and appreciate this one, but it's one that should - without a doubt - be heard.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGe3GFWEO2I&feature=player_embedded">Cee Lo: The Lady Killer</a><br />
Finally, we have Cee Lo Green. One half of the Gnarls Barkley duo drops the funk and soul that will keep you entertained for quite some time. And for those that think his eyebrow-raising single, "F*ck you" was simply a ploy to get noticed, make no mistake that that single and every other track on the record is as close to perfect as you'll find. Green even went as far as daringly covering Band of Horses single, "No One's Gonna Love You" and absolutely killing it. As with all of his projects, Cee Lo created a masterpiece that people will be hearing everywhere for years to come.<br />
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Honorable Mention - <a href="http://www.eminem.com/player/default.aspx?meid=6129">Eminem: Recovery</a><br />
While Em is still making fantastic records, he's not really doing much in terms of breaking musical ground. But a job well done, nonetheless. <br />
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*Footnote: In my unabashed subjectivity, I kept a few records off this list that many other lists not only included, but gave (in my opinion) way too much praise. Those records include the ego-centric album from Kanye West: <i>My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</i>, Wavves: <i>King of the Beach</i>, Of Montreal: <i>False Priest</i>, MGMT: <i>Congratulations</i> nor M.I.A.: /\/\/\Y/\ (whatever that is)<br />
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I'd love to see your picks and hear feedback about mine.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-30687390251549585422010-12-04T14:25:00.000-08:002010-12-04T14:25:35.156-08:00God Can Be Funny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiAhbHqebXWbj9GC-_D_9t0ygek4oYUH8bLtUEAM6O06L0lpYbJFVwyfz_ekCtcekrdxgvmjjj21wyfCspcj9uQyyiaQ9UecvfPgkCIjCMePKZOUQ62kzIkWZz93v21JPbZiIlw/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiAhbHqebXWbj9GC-_D_9t0ygek4oYUH8bLtUEAM6O06L0lpYbJFVwyfz_ekCtcekrdxgvmjjj21wyfCspcj9uQyyiaQ9UecvfPgkCIjCMePKZOUQ62kzIkWZz93v21JPbZiIlw/s400/Picture+2.png" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">We live in a time where music and art are consistently moving away from grandeur and fluff to a place of perfect simplicity and - for the most part - lack of ego. This, however, does not seem to be the case for alt-rock pretty boys, 30 Seconds to Mars, whose newest <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/movies/601478/hurricane.jhtml">video for their single, "Hurricane"</a> is one of the most absurd attempts at combining art and music period. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">There are some that - like <a href="http://www.examiner.com/30-seconds-to-mars-in-national/30-seconds-to-mars-news-hurricane-the-film-review-and-commentary-review">The Examiner</a> - tend to disagree with that sentiment, going so far as actually appreciating that the video (which some are calling a film) "is deeply rich in symbols and is divided into three acts “Birth, Life and Death”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">While others like the sharp-tongued and highly-satirical folks over at <a href="http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/2010/11/new-jared-leto-video-biggest-piece-poop-ever-created-art-history-world.html">Hipster Runoff</a> pose the question, "Is the new Jared Leto video the 'biggest piece of poop' ever created as 'art' in the history of the world?" and stating, " Feel really bad 4 the band for spending so much time making such a big piece of poop. Has 2 be embarrassing. Feels like some1 shoulda told them "damn bros... this shit looks kinda ghey.'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">And above all, it appears that band is feeding off of the censorship that is being imposed on the film for its sexually graphic imagery. Leto recently - in some form of rebellion? - lashed out at MTV on <a href="http://jaredleto.com/thisiswhoireallyam/">his blog</a> by posting an explicit photo that MTV had forced to be censored. But it's unclear why the band is upset over cable tv channels censoring what would essentially add up to an R or NC17 rating if this were actually a film. Maybe it's part of their maniacal plan along along?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Anyway, the video is full of Leto's ego (in the form of him running around shirtless and getting pretty freaky with beautiful women) and a completely sophomoric story line. <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/movies/601478/hurricane.jhtml">Check it out for yourself </a>and let the comments fly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-61015481881957528102010-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:002010-09-21T07:43:40.903-07:00Now and Always<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB84LnlCpPpMQsOo_WwEbjvMVtmU9noU0ogyPAZ22lHw86Ae6BQ0us7YusDr90K6nHpUbgz5Buc5U_Cg8vFRTYAb-kNgA6RqUr-EZw5SjEa53obA64hhwpRUg9qGVUwHf3utEo7Q/s1600/dont-ask-dont-tell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB84LnlCpPpMQsOo_WwEbjvMVtmU9noU0ogyPAZ22lHw86Ae6BQ0us7YusDr90K6nHpUbgz5Buc5U_Cg8vFRTYAb-kNgA6RqUr-EZw5SjEa53obA64hhwpRUg9qGVUwHf3utEo7Q/s320/dont-ask-dont-tell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Currently the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/21/senate.defense.bill/index.html">"hot button" issue this mid-term election</a> season is - yet again - Don't Ask, Don't Tell. To be brief, it's absurd that this is not only still an issue, but what pundits are tagging as *the* hot button issue this time 'round.<br />
<br />
It's things like this that continue to chip away at the faith that many have in our political system when our candidates neglect to prioritize infinitely more important items such as our nation's crippling debt and the black hole that is the war in the Middle East (which is one of the main causes of the aforementioned crippling debt).<br />
<br />
So, when you consider those to whom you'll give your vote, please make sure that they're ones with our nation's priorities in order.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-66567101353700798932010-09-03T09:46:00.001-07:002010-09-03T09:57:15.526-07:00We Can Work It Night By Night<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAjJsOu5szY"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatG_cuL_sJ1Sz7BRQj9YD1ajcreQxrJgbeumKDFg9ZWllizVhC_eOpylmhHX59DVKL2qylb8JjIN1xoS89FgqxZ7BNYqnmxshjRl2eqUMZFQNMrEKdOrjvAmfufOek9GNXKi-fw/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512729656246043794" /></a><br /><br />This one is for <a href="http://lookingforlike.blogspot.com/">Peanut over at Looking For Like</a>. He like many doesn't really like (or maybe really *get*) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromeo">Chromeo</a>. But aside from great talent and wicked smarts - Chromeo co-founder, David Macklovitch, is currently getting his PhD in French Literature - the duo simply creates music that's fun, nostalgic and (admittedly) a little silly. And that seems to be the catch; even though the guys are really talented, they seem to not take themselves too seriously. <br /><br />Click on the video above to watch the video for the single <span style="font-style:italic;">Night By Night</span> that will be on their upcoming album of the same name.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-24395333251943462002010-09-01T11:31:00.000-07:002010-09-01T12:20:42.851-07:00Heaven is Waiting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.myspace.com/maxrichtermusic"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_tPYUfYEOtSQrvSpgQrA1yHZEqG39IzX_KG4Tp6cohKT9HrtSi0E0mZi9QSBCBnTLiUS7Xq_kLVLYIUDrMGOcM8KriSeGBpukOXXtzzNXVKpSTE_jq_-8GiBhcTqDMqjCqjbDA/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512014932217407138" /></a><br /><br />With thanks to <a href="http://ryanscottburleson.com/">Ryan Burleson</a>, I have been led to the new <a href="http://www.myspace.com/maxrichtermusic">Max Richter</a> album, <a href="http://www.maxrichter.com/en/index.php">infra</a>. <br /><br />It's swooping tones and general ambiance provided by Richter's classically-influenced piano and strings arrangements is reminiscent of the younger (and obviously Richter-influenced) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/olafurarnalds">Ólafur Arnalds</a>. <br /><br />Listen <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JV4XUU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000HDR9B8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1C6RXHSC4QVEXFP5TER7">here</a> and enjoy.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-27287422637505342232010-08-21T10:51:00.000-07:002010-08-22T11:21:59.788-07:00It takes an ocean not to break<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://vimeo.com/12496956"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9WorwPcrLzp8VYSOsoFSFcfOp02hyphenhyphenQXoXGUYc383Vq7QOFxw0jXEdnXBjy4smNcSm0pbFUeI4qpy5aXAMCclH-IV_4hdkZSgxbHtFbUnwLVn33OZm1Scc29NYZe6Q87rdVaujA/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507923809918446834" /></a><br />While this may not be the most timely post, it does - admittedly - take quite some time to absorb and comprehend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_National_%28band%29">The National's</a> latest effort, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thenational">High Violet</a>. <br /><br />The album comes as the follow up to their 2007 critically-acclaimed record, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_%28The_National_album%29">Boxer</a>. And although Boxer may have been a tough record to follow, there seemed to be no doubt or fear that High Violet would be anything less than stellar. Keeping true to form (and expectations) The National released to the public an album that is perfectly orchestrated, lyrically honest and distressed and haunting in the most beautiful way. <br /><br />With many thematic parallels to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Forever-Ago-Bon-Iver/dp/B0011HF6GE">Bon Iver's 2008 release, For Emma Forever Ago</a>, the listener will experience 12 tracks of pained, baritone (a large contrast to Justin Vernon's soaring, soprano falsetto for Bon Iver) lead vocals, and a collaboration of instruments and background vocals that draw you into the exact places from where the band is coming. Whether that place be a martial discord, homesickness, anxiety or an understanding joy, the songs on High Violet unapologetically impresses those thoughts and visions upon anyone who takes on the challenge of really breaking into the record.<br /><br />The first single from the album, Bloodbuzz Ohio, is a driving homage to the band's (original) home, Ohio. The video below is a perfect accompaniment to the song and a wonderful example of exactly how bands should not take things too seriously (or spend big bucks on music videos). Let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear 'em.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/12496956" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/12496956">Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3847091">Emilio Rodríguez</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-26631951797650073302010-08-13T12:07:00.000-07:002010-08-13T12:11:19.869-07:00You Passed Me By<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://pitchfork.com/news/39750-kristen-bell-stars-in-new-yeasayer-video/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryvXKxUGIpv5udTiB_CTg9E_QJbvQbdN9_08chwGFpDWlT1JQKZz8QOzQFKi44d3G-QOvXFTOthmcvmOgNPtJOkHvQtk4RLmA2I1Rx7XtL5nUWeE-AtjL_bDalPn9lIkouCPjCw/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504973351522227362" /></a><br /><br />The <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/39750-kristen-bell-stars-in-new-yeasayer-video/">newest Yeasayer video for their song, "Madder Red"</a> and, while extremely odd, is engaging and gripping (in some unexplainable way). <br /><br />The video stars <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068338/">Kristen Bell</a> of Heros, Veronica Mars and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. And while the video is serious in it's content, I presume that it's meant to be taken with a grain of salt and hopefully a little bit of humor.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-80703344534738820862010-07-17T10:03:00.000-07:002010-07-17T10:45:32.202-07:00You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXhyphenhyphen_v-EhJoyl6zwGBP16PC_8B9hEoTDEvtWYbDUqLajNgEhs40_reZrMiVUdoHld3RdLafcDB9DZ_kX3gc4N0Xi_jZxJLCajpUoXrrC2pWarXIYVgewetbnRpRieiILRsfC4DQ/s1600/180south.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXhyphenhyphen_v-EhJoyl6zwGBP16PC_8B9hEoTDEvtWYbDUqLajNgEhs40_reZrMiVUdoHld3RdLafcDB9DZ_kX3gc4N0Xi_jZxJLCajpUoXrrC2pWarXIYVgewetbnRpRieiILRsfC4DQ/s400/180south.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494922685646848866" /></a><br />Many will agree that the human spirit longs for adventure. To explore the unknown. And to stare fear in the face and conquer it. That's the overarching premise of <a href="http://www.180south.com/">180° South</a>, a documentary that follows its narrator, Jeff Johnson, as he leaves his home behind to sail, surf and climb his way to Patagonia; the same trek made and documented four decades ago by <a href="http://www.thenorthface.com">The North Face</a> founder, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Tompkins">Doug Tompkins</a> and <a href="http://www.patagonia.com/">Patagonia</a> founder, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvon_Chouinard">Yvon Chouinard</a>. <br /><br />Johnson, following in the adventurous spirit of his role models (and now mentors), sought the Patagonia mountains. Finding his way aboard a small boat headed south from California, Johnson and the crew spent over a month at sea before finding themselves stranded on Rapa Nui (the small island we now know as Easter Island) for 40 plus days where they split time fixing their wounded ship and surfing. <br /><br />Finally departing from Rapa Nui, the crew headed down to Argentina where Johnson would hook up with his heros, Tompkins and Chouinard, to enjoy nature and to climb a mountain. The same mountain that Tompkins and Chouinard climbed in the late 60's. The same journey that inspired those two men to donate millions of dollars in company profits to purchase millions of acres of land in the Patagonia mountains only to give it back to the Argentinian government at no cost. <br /><br />This is something that they still do today, not only to protect some of the most beautiful land on earth, but to hopefully provide a place for people to escape their complicated lives and seek the beauty of simplicity. <br /><br />This is a film that will inspire anyone. That will make the viewer look at their lives on a deeper level. It's beautifully shot and perfectly scored. And it's on demand on Netflix. To view this film is time well spent.<br /><br />"The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It's so easy to make it complex. The solution that may be for a lot of the world's problems is to turn around and take a forward step. You can't keep trying to make a flawed system work."<br /> - Yvon ChouinardPatrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-31625065009919030232010-06-23T11:58:00.000-07:002010-06-23T12:17:05.225-07:00Vital Signs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTg4PpStPNhzMe5vE-IotLToSdTFmMeAuYQzt07AmPsldhGtvO51Pat-aMkCaiOtio46vSbPqMb6RTtADna0uCmXgkyfYkyRjD_7a8K4bC9aP7U8uNTR414sZ7giXNv8Vtv4qDKQ/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTg4PpStPNhzMe5vE-IotLToSdTFmMeAuYQzt07AmPsldhGtvO51Pat-aMkCaiOtio46vSbPqMb6RTtADna0uCmXgkyfYkyRjD_7a8K4bC9aP7U8uNTR414sZ7giXNv8Vtv4qDKQ/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486046008460293234" /></a><br />It's been a stressful 10 days in South Africa for the U.S. men's soccer team. After narrowly pulling out a 1-1 draw against England and coming from behind to draw Slovenia 2-2 (a match in which the U.S. wrongly had a legitimate goal called back), the boys in red, white, and blue maintained enough composure to pull away with a goal in the 91st minute to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/sports/soccer/24usgame.html?hp">win the match against Algeria today, 1-0</a>. <br /><br />Shockingly, the U.S. nearly faced a similar fate as their match with Slovenia when, in the first half, a goal by U.S. midfielder, Clint Dempsey, was called back on an offside call by a linesman. After many reviews by commentators, it was a unanimous agreement that the goal should have counted and the U.S. was robbed of yet another goal in this World Cup.<br /><br />However, the win today sends the U.S. into the quarter finals at the top of the group. It'll be exciting to see if coach, Bob Bradley, can get the team over a line they've never crossed in history. This really is the best thing to happen every four years.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-31407283056323316452010-06-19T09:32:00.000-07:002010-06-19T10:26:57.340-07:00Something in Another Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bs-eHwmui52sCkESihb5gylc9V2MkpRNQdIRo8oulWFKDdaRqh5FcViYI08qYU78f4JgqHQchTp_7nc78EOByIOjHHpw79jyPok8RF8P6IWbXvubLeTzGWdnOqPErrjK0iR4xQ/s1600/banksy_museum_exit_through_the_gift_shop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 323px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bs-eHwmui52sCkESihb5gylc9V2MkpRNQdIRo8oulWFKDdaRqh5FcViYI08qYU78f4JgqHQchTp_7nc78EOByIOjHHpw79jyPok8RF8P6IWbXvubLeTzGWdnOqPErrjK0iR4xQ/s400/banksy_museum_exit_through_the_gift_shop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484525386356193426" /></a><br />A recent visit to Nashville's <a href="www.belcourt.org">Belcourt</a> Theater to see <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/exitthroughthegiftshop/">Exit Through The Gift Shop</a> proved to be time well spent. For those unfamiliar with <a href="http://banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm">Banksy</a> - a very mysterious and often demonized British artist - this was his first film and it proved to tell as much of a story and create as almost as much controversy as his art.<br /><br />The project started out as an idea conjured up by French ex-patriot, Thierry Guetta, after a trip home to find that his cousin - the famed French street artists known simply as "Space Invader" for his repetitive placement of characters from the famed 80's video game in public spaces - was well immersed in the underground world of public street art. And Guetta, being a man who filmed everything started collecting hundreds of hours of film from "Invader's" fly-by-night art. <br /><br />What became an obsession, led Guetta to connect with the infamous L.A. artist, Shepard Fairey (some may recognize Fairey's work with his use of the "<a href="http://relentlesspr.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fairey.jpg">obey</a>" art featuring wrestler, Andre the Giant). And when one thing led to another, Guetta and Fairey hooked up with Banksy in L.A. and over a series of months, Banksy began to trust Guetta to film him. This ultimately turned into the idea to make a documentary about international street art using Guetta's film exclusively. <br /><br />However, after collecting years of footage, Guetta pieced together what Banksy considered to be a disaster of a film. And this sparked the idea for Banksy to turn the tables and make a documentary about Guetta (who would quickly become know as Mr. Brainwash for his attempt to make subtle and repetitive suggestions through his version of street art). <br /><br />Sounds confusing and complicated, right? It is, to be sure. But with a final product pieced together and released by Banksy and his team, the end result is a wonderful documentary that's engaging, often hilarious and sparks the debate about what art really is. The story is fantastically told and the film is one of the more enjoyable documentaries that's been out in quite some time.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-89274108587610071122010-06-05T11:17:00.000-07:002010-06-05T11:54:40.624-07:00Fur Lined<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKMEmJZ32UwzK1gCDwJddAaEBtiU47qxG3Kpcf1jqWhKGILWqGf9YmmlIT1cvMBk16JCtc_7d1Gh3bROD6XFFzypAuD_J1lfhhCjFoVUxOtCjesBrjSceQGYeXWfNsO-ojaCQFw/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKMEmJZ32UwzK1gCDwJddAaEBtiU47qxG3Kpcf1jqWhKGILWqGf9YmmlIT1cvMBk16JCtc_7d1Gh3bROD6XFFzypAuD_J1lfhhCjFoVUxOtCjesBrjSceQGYeXWfNsO-ojaCQFw/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479357931619802834" /></a><br />With so many horrible things happening around the globe right now - <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/us/06spill.html?hp">Oil</a> in our beautiful gulf, the <a href="http://wallstreet.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/06/04/euro-crisis-hits-france-germany/">fall of the Euro</a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/world/middleeast/06flotilla.html?hp">Israeli diplomacy at its worst</a>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/04/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm">stocks dive bombing</a> - it's high time to take a step away and enjoy some new (and wonderfully heavy) music. <br /><a href="http://www.deftones.com/"><br />Deftones </a>recently released their latest album, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/deftones">Diamond Eyes</a>. And for a band that's been together for 20 years, they still know how to bring the heaviness and keep it fresh. The track <span style="font-style:italic;">Rocket Skates</span> gives listeners a wonderful riff that will stick with you for days. Check out their site with the link above to listen.<br /><br />Also, check out Trent Reznor's new project, <a href="http://howtodestroyangels.com/">How to Destroy Angels</a>. Reznor brought his wife, Mariqueen, into the mix as vocalist and what came out is pretty great. <br /><br />The album carries with it the obvious Nine Inch Nails musical aspects, but adding Mariqueen's vocals to the mix gives Reznor's musical efforts a breath of fresh life. The entire EP is a free download on their site where you can also check out their ominous (and very dark) video for <span style="font-style:italic;">The Space in Between</span>. <br /><br />For the softer side, check out <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thenational">The National's</a> newest effort High Violet. It's a beautiful record, extremely smart and a great summer release. Also, check out their video for the first sings, <a href="http://vimeo.com/11653518">Bloodbuzz Ohio</a>.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-56249862412302510732010-05-25T11:27:00.000-07:002010-05-25T12:09:39.470-07:00You Lost The Starlight In Your Eyes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGURqMf3NzyMdNoKI1pQcnU2PJcSGfMZSf6IcPzONnQXLgxYpEJf3ESJ8-gUSNtMRDwgKYdoYvjVWf8AqtYYc1NZHvnfvoDxO4I1iB-pF_xkMIVFujEjzfWoILhbvGe2YnTM9sg/s1600/Eyes-JackPilot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGURqMf3NzyMdNoKI1pQcnU2PJcSGfMZSf6IcPzONnQXLgxYpEJf3ESJ8-gUSNtMRDwgKYdoYvjVWf8AqtYYc1NZHvnfvoDxO4I1iB-pF_xkMIVFujEjzfWoILhbvGe2YnTM9sg/s400/Eyes-JackPilot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475276308030148482" /></a><br />Six years. That's the time many spent dedicated to a television show. A brilliant and mysterious and engaging show. And this past Sunday, May 23, that show came to a dramatic end. <br /><br />Since 2004 <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/lost">LOST</a> has progressed from a cult favorite to a global phenomenon. It has confused many, led hoards of people to the brink of unbearable frustration and drawn numerous people into a community that has never existed like the ones that LOST helped create. And the years of dedicated viewing (and re-viewing), message boarding, discussion groups, chats over coffee or beer and - for some - LOST-related dreams culminated with the series finale simply title, "<a href="http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/The_End">The End</a>." <br /><br />A lot of people are still upset about unanswered questions and many are simply sad that one of their favorite shows is no more. But amidst the positive, negative and emotional reactions, one thing is certain: LOST has proven itself to stand out as arguably one of (if not the) best show in the history of television. <br /><br />It's certainly sad to see it go, but it's reaffirming to know that the show didn't overstay its welcome. It ended the way that it was supposed to and provided the comfort and closure its audience needed. It was heartfelt and it was beautiful. And for that we say "thank you" for six great years of wonderful television entertainment.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-24552062310945599492010-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:002010-05-18T08:11:46.567-07:00Devil or Angel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBC3YY6Wr_weHcw_4oXwsocQ4aAQUqs7Day9427IjT1LqYSYijzkjVpbjuhkO2AinM6sFrdmdNY-BuSDBhqSP0P8TeXrEf5Qa7-soUPC_46ax4AaW4K6_i379lZvH9YlhuoH08A/s1600/radiationcell.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBC3YY6Wr_weHcw_4oXwsocQ4aAQUqs7Day9427IjT1LqYSYijzkjVpbjuhkO2AinM6sFrdmdNY-BuSDBhqSP0P8TeXrEf5Qa7-soUPC_46ax4AaW4K6_i379lZvH9YlhuoH08A/s400/radiationcell.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472621475126793954" /></a><br />I may be alone in thinking this, but it seems odd that the age-old debate about the potential risk of brain cancer with frequent cell phone use is still going on in the tech and scientific communities. What's worse is that organizations - the U.N. in particular - are <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100518/ap_on_hi_te/un_cellphones_and_cancer">spending $24 million to continue the studies</a>. What's even worse is the results are the exact same as they were a decade ago: "inconclusive."<br /><br />Could the U.N.'s money be better spent elsewhere? Definitely. Will it make a difference in people's mobile device usage if results even came back as conclusive? Probably not.<br /><br /><br /> ________<br /><br />'Devil or Angel' is a wonderful song by famed Doo Wopp group, The Clovers.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-87301814052656612092010-05-13T07:56:00.000-07:002010-05-13T11:12:03.944-07:00We Will Say Goodbye to Everyone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQipUN60G1UrsdcWnJoJ7cZW_k0GJg1jc1YeXdcgfzheoLbhKLhLta7hSvY1F5U6rKIx_314RVXK3OD6ZQEj9teOgnowFaLvFa9QzgGZ376pLQuJaeCMos3XC7Hh016rq9amZjow/s1600/0411_B08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQipUN60G1UrsdcWnJoJ7cZW_k0GJg1jc1YeXdcgfzheoLbhKLhLta7hSvY1F5U6rKIx_314RVXK3OD6ZQEj9teOgnowFaLvFa9QzgGZ376pLQuJaeCMos3XC7Hh016rq9amZjow/s400/0411_B08.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470775849843365314" /></a><br />It's been hard to not do a write-up of the new laws passed by the state of Arizona. But now that things are heating up a bit, it's time to dive in. Most are already aware that Arizona Governor, <a href="http://www.governor.state.az.us/">Jan Brewer</a>, recently signed what many are calling <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html?scp=1&sq=arizona%20law&st=cse">the toughest law on immigration</a> ever while others are calling it <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/27/civil-rights-groups-protest-arizona-immigration-law-file-suit-federal-program/">the most racist law in a century</a>, leading even President Obama to criticize the law as "misguided."<br /><br />Even Hollywood is chiming in. Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane (an often-times provocative voice for social and political commentary), <a href="http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/05/04/seth-macfarlane-arizona-immigration-law-nazi-germany/">made the comparison between this law and the laws of Nazi Germany</a>, stating, “Nobody but the Nazis ever asked anybody for their papers.”<br /><br />And MacFarlane isn't the only one <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/95123-mack-r-compares-ariz-law-to-nazi-germany">sharing that sentiment</a>. Florida Rep. Connie Mack (R), when speaking to <a href="www.thehill.com">TheHill.com</a>, said, "This law of 'frontier justice' – where law enforcement officials are required to stop anyone based on 'reasonable suspicion' that they may be in the country illegally – is reminiscent of a time during World War II when the Gestapo in Germany stopped people on the street and asked for their papers without probable cause."<br /><br />Now that the verbal back and forth has reached a tipping point, the city of Los Angeles is <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/ap_on_re_us/us_arizona_boycotts_california;_ylt=At158_RnTx_49nWXCCvmGZis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN1OHNycTBvBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNTEzL3VzX2FyaXpvbmFfYm95Y290dHNfY2FsaWZvcm5pYQRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzIEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2xhb2tzYXJpem9uYQ--">stepping forward with action</a>. In a nearly unanimous vote (13-1), L.A. will now be boycotting any new contracts with Arizona and prohibiting city department trips to The Grand Canyon State until the law is repealed. <br /><br />According to the <a href="http://associatedpress.com/">Associated Press</a>, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said the boycotts are unfortunate and misguided, primarily because the law mirrors a federal requirement that legal immigrants carry immigration papers. <br /><br />And while recent polls show an unexpectedly large amount of support for the law, others worry that this will set a precedent for other states to follow and fear that this is a step in the wrong direction with regards to civil liberties. What are your thoughts?<br /> <br /><br /> _______________________________<br /><br />The title of this post comes from a track on <a href="http://hammockmusic.net/">Hammock's</a> last record, Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow.Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-69452144689395048262010-05-01T10:46:00.000-07:002010-05-01T12:17:15.707-07:00Cut Your Ribbon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2a0I_MsYrNmIO61ddb-XQ1zahJDO7ttqYJa2gCgUsuJKbNB-j02raamAODv_sh0IYbUma16WysHoTnCTUkLUjVgBTlvsG8WWg3gvhYOLZtmZQ-0JXIrwWq7TTLu9haTWGuQPXw/s1600/apple_lala.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2a0I_MsYrNmIO61ddb-XQ1zahJDO7ttqYJa2gCgUsuJKbNB-j02raamAODv_sh0IYbUma16WysHoTnCTUkLUjVgBTlvsG8WWg3gvhYOLZtmZQ-0JXIrwWq7TTLu9haTWGuQPXw/s400/apple_lala.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466371404957740610" /></a><br />A sad era in the world of music and business is upon us. It's a time in which we're seeing the dark side of the Apple empire and one can only fear that things are going to get worse from here. <br /><br />In the midst <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/cops-seize-gizmodo-editors-computer-iphone-leak/story?id=10481064">sending authorities to raid blogger's homes to seize personal property</a> (note to Apple: not cool!), Apple has found time to announce that it's <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/05/apple_kills_lala.html">killing off one of the the best music sharing and purchasing sites around</a>. <br /><br />After purchasing Lala in late 2009, Apple has now decided to completely take down the site and transfer all existing members' credits to iTunes. The reason? To bring Apple and iTunes into the ever-growing world of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing">the cloud</a>. <br /><br />Not only was Lala great for purchasing music on the cheap (around $0.80 for an entire web-only album), but it was great for members to share new music and expose others to new artists and bands. Lala was also known for letting listeners preview a song or album in its entirety one time completely free (unlike iTunes' stingy 30 second preview policy). It was the place for music novices and lovers alike to discover and consume music easier and more afford-ably. And now what would earn you an entire record on Lala will transfer to equal about 80% of one song on iTunes.<br /><br />Ultimately, it was Lala that made the sale ($80 million sounds nice, right?), but it's discouraging to see the big (brother?) guy buying out the little guy and crushing everything that was beautiful about it. But, only time will tell how Apple decides to take iTunes into the cloud. My only guess is that it won't be about the music or the consumer. It will be about Apple's bottom line. <br /><br />Blogger, <a href="http://government.zdnet.com/?p=8356">David Gerwitz even poses the question</a>, "Has our young, idealistic Anakin been seduced by the dark side? Has Steve Jobs become Darth Vader? "Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-22102257118475788972010-04-27T09:58:00.000-07:002010-04-27T12:56:37.265-07:00Devil in the Woods<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8_v6KLDnmLASi9mFe_KV-w0oGGEeCVCVigwutglT2GqDedTsFaTBatwUQ0xp5Rjjko6Eh0KJFWoNpdiUtsOVSmvmkNx_Bq0a_5W3xVCJCkJ-e0IwfGHNGjdkmD4P4GzKkDiExA/s1600/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8_v6KLDnmLASi9mFe_KV-w0oGGEeCVCVigwutglT2GqDedTsFaTBatwUQ0xp5Rjjko6Eh0KJFWoNpdiUtsOVSmvmkNx_Bq0a_5W3xVCJCkJ-e0IwfGHNGjdkmD4P4GzKkDiExA/s400/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464863212672570994" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132620/">The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo</a> (or Män som hatar kvinnor - translated to "Men Who Hate Women" in its orginal Swedish title) is a film that recently hit US shores and is based on the Swedish, award-winning crime series of novels by author and journalist Stieg Larsson. The film is the first in his "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Trilogy">Millennium Trilogy</a>" and in the midst of <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/millenium_le_film/">all the hype it's receiving</a>, the film did not fall short of expectations. <br /><br />Now, there is always the fear that a film that comes from a dark, fictional series of novels (ala Harry Potter, Twilight, etc...) is going to end up a cheesy, Americanized blockbuster. Thankfully Swedes do things better than most and director, Niels Arden Oplev made sure the film was well-acted, wonderfully shot and balanced a continuous sense of intrigue with sporadic resolve.<br /><br />The story remarkably blends mystery, crime solving and haute action to keep the viewer engaged. Oh, and the girl - the one with the dragon tattoo, of course - is quite the ass-kicking heroine. <br /><br />The film is not lacking high doses of dark and graphic situations, but if you're in the market for a great film that will start a great series, this is the one.<br /><br /><a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/thegirlwiththedragontattoo/">VIEW THE PREVIEW HERE</a><br /><br />___________<br /><br /><br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=1657606150749983828&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.49385%4046261"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=1657606150749983828&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.49385%4046261"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/1657606150749983828" title="Devil in the Woods - Discover America" target="_blank">Devil in the Woods - Discover ...</a></div>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-34608946380024192532010-04-03T09:26:00.000-07:002010-04-17T10:18:22.286-07:00Go Do<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjhVDvb_xLX0Bhm6mGlg4JfJnF234_iWW4JemXBvmtcSge_HKPekVNsThO2eKobRJ-qKvsXk7WspLyvOEZFyBIkD5-gHPmutG8kom2REDWdQlc9JtHgVUMRE-SMrWLEYjG-VGxQ/s1600/Jonsi+Go+2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjhVDvb_xLX0Bhm6mGlg4JfJnF234_iWW4JemXBvmtcSge_HKPekVNsThO2eKobRJ-qKvsXk7WspLyvOEZFyBIkD5-gHPmutG8kom2REDWdQlc9JtHgVUMRE-SMrWLEYjG-VGxQ/s400/Jonsi+Go+2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457444253732374082" /></a><br />And we're back! A sincere apology for such a long hiatus (not that anyone really cares about this old blog anyway, right?) <br /><br />On to more important things. <a href="http://jonsi.com/">Jónsi Þór Birgisson</a>, vocalist, guitarist, pianist and all things auxiliary for <a href="http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/">Sigur Rós</a>, just released his first solo effort titled, <span style="font-style:italic;">Go</span>. <br /><br />Considering that Jónsi has been writing and working on these songs for many years (some more than five years in the works), it's no surprise that this bevy of nine songs feels cohesive, intentional and uniquely complete; each song flowing purposefully from one to the next carrying the listener through a landscape of elation, bleakness, reminiscing and anticipation. And it's all done humbly and beautifully.<br /><br />Rich layers of vocal arrangements paired with an orchestration of strings, brass, woodwinds and percussive elements that rarely resemble a traditional drum kit carry throughout the record. And the result of such meaning and dedication is simply sublime. <br /><br />Jónsi - more than many modern artists - does such a stirring job of taking his music to a place that leads the listener way beyond a simple, sonic experience. If you can allow yourself to be vulnerable while listening to one record, <span style="font-style:italic;">Go</span> is the record. The songs are like that childhood birthday that - when blowing out the candles on your cake in a dark room surrounded by those that love you - you knew your wish would come true. Or that walk on a beach with a good friend while gentle waves wash over your feet. Or a funeral after an unexpected death of someone close. Or that long-awaited kiss on New Years Eve just as the clock strikes twelve. The songs are your reliance. Your comfort in melancholy. Your faith in promise and perseverance. For some it is your <a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/features/21039-the-spiritual-side-of-sigur-ros-jonsi">worship</a>. Your contentment that our world's discord is fleeting and that love is the beautiful and veritable agent of change. <br /><br /><br /> _____________________________<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/PlaylistWidget.swf" id="lalaAlbumEmbed" width="300" height="254"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/PlaylistWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="albumId=1225260573703410403&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=memberalbum.49385%4046261"/><embed id="lalaAlbumEmbed" name="lalaAlbumEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/PlaylistWidget.swf" width="300" height="254" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="albumId=1225260573703410403&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=memberalbum.49385%4046261"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/album/1225260573703410403" title="Go - Jónsi" target="_blank">Go - Jónsi</a></div>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-81086112227034182362010-03-30T11:53:00.000-07:002010-03-30T11:56:49.509-07:00Help Somebody<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqnKNR4ZAjieWomp76KpBX2GmCEdcMVh6-3_5NZmuy8XIKSCJ9JoK0sKRg7tJhOyCHi420hjk-Wadj2Wan3ffFRGD4UbLmDRJ1Ko6JX_ou5iyHI47N6JBsWApinwsVLqL__wftg/s1600/hiatus2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqnKNR4ZAjieWomp76KpBX2GmCEdcMVh6-3_5NZmuy8XIKSCJ9JoK0sKRg7tJhOyCHi420hjk-Wadj2Wan3ffFRGD4UbLmDRJ1Ko6JX_ou5iyHI47N6JBsWApinwsVLqL__wftg/s400/hiatus2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454502493355796162" /></a><br />Sorry for the long (and unexpected) hiatus. I'll be back shortly with a post about Jónsi Birgisson's new record, <span style="font-style:italic;">Go</span>. <br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=504684652369947061&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.49385%4046261"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=504684652369947061&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.49385%4046261"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/504684652369947061" title="Help Somebody - Maxwell" target="_blank">Help Somebody - Maxwell</a></div>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12290472.post-2156222950004825542010-02-27T11:51:00.000-08:002010-02-27T12:26:43.248-08:00Ain't No Grave<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_aDXebF14Vklz4SX2OybkPA7AVltVdoEipQjE_a6GjX0pXX-0h0V8auMzJl9hfDpig40KV4sCphV8Bxew_7zWX29-anQE6RGqZ3LT2Hx_N6PG06zr_ipBo44FCbFUJbB7VgOBw/s1600-h/title.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_aDXebF14Vklz4SX2OybkPA7AVltVdoEipQjE_a6GjX0pXX-0h0V8auMzJl9hfDpig40KV4sCphV8Bxew_7zWX29-anQE6RGqZ3LT2Hx_N6PG06zr_ipBo44FCbFUJbB7VgOBw/s400/title.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443014999747809602" /></a><br />With very little background information on Daniel Johnston, this film was approached with a light-hearted curiosity and a trust that the copious positive reviews on Netflix weren't misleading. The film is <a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/devilanddaniel/">The Devil and Daniel Johnston</a> and covers the life, art, music and insanity of the early 90s folk rock legend and does so in a truly gripping way.<br /><br />Johnston was the product of a very conservative, Church-of-Christ-attending family. From an early age his family knew he was special. He was constantly drawing, filming, making music and being - above all - a defiant non-conformist. Everyone apparently knew that Daniel wasn't cut out for the "traditional" way of American living, but no one foresaw his rise to musical greatness nor his demise into a dark world of addiction, violence, depression and a life-long struggle to break free of the grip of the devil. <br /><br />After dropping out of college and heading to Austin, TX, Johnston quickly rose to the status of local music icon. The entire Austin scene - it appeared - was drawn to him musically and personally. And after being featured on MTV in a series of Austin artists, his national fan base grew at a rapid-fire pace. Along with his rise, however, came a quick and easy fall into the world of hallucinogenic drugs and (actual) insanity.<br /><br />With bands like Sonic Youth and Half Japanese seeking Johnston for musical contributions and Kurt Cobain even sporting his famous "Hi, How Are You?" shirt in nearly every Nirvana photo, Daniel had finally become an indie rock superstar. Yet with all of that in his hands, he quickly became obsessed with saving peoples' souls who were under the heavy hand of Satan, leading Johnston to spend the better part of a decade in and out of mental facilities. <br /><br />Today, his status as music legend lives on and his story is honestly one of the darkest and yet somehow still inspiring stories of modern music. The documentary is one worth spending time with. It will help put of lot of things - spiritually, personally and musically - into a different perspective for you. And if you've seen the film, I'd love to hear your thoughts. <br /><br /> _______________________________<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627045464177482&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.49385%4046261"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627045464177482&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.49385%4046261"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627045464177482" title="Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash" target="_blank">Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash</a></div>Patrick Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485996268503172607noreply@blogger.com1