I wrote words.

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 09:40:00 -0400

I guess I have a blog now? I wouldn’t count on more than 3 postings a year. Here goes nothing…

I know what you’re thinking: “I’m not a fucking hipster. Just because I fucking dress like one, act like one, think like one, doesn’t make me one.” Me too. It’s funny how everyone is turning against hipster now, yet nobody is changing. The title has gotten so widespread that nobody feels it’s a part of who they are anymore, even though that was kind of the point to begin with. It was supposed to make you an individual. It was saying, I don’t give a fuck, I’m doing whatever I want. But I see where it all went wrong. It’s when doing those things that make you happy while steering as far from cultural norms become the cultural norm that you have to reassess everything. Has this become a dream world where you helped set forth the foundation for an ideal society where people get it and want in, or has it lost all of it’s credibility, turning from some sort of self righteous integrity to fashion statement (bye bye integrity).

I was against it from the start. I shouldn’t say against it, I just wasn’t it. I don’t want to be a part of anything, nor did I then. I’ve never been into titles because I always expect myself to stray from them. I didn’t drink until I was twenty, but I never considered the title “straight edge.” I just didn’t care about drinking. I was all for it. I loved hanging around my friends when they did it, I just, for some unbeknownst reason decided I didn’t want to. I never considered NEVER doing it. I just didn’t care to at the time. And once I started, I fucking loved it and had no remorse about abandoning a title. The closest I’ve ever come to labeling myself as something is with punk, yet I’m such a far cry from being punk. Punk just happens to be my favorite thing on the planet. I surround myself with it on a daily basis. I’m always thinking about it, yet I’m still so hesitant to call myself a punk. I share similar mentalities, but not even close to all. It’s almost shameful to no be dirty or poor in the punk community. I was raised in the suburbs by an upper-middle class family, good grades, never touched drugs or got in trouble, ever (literally). I didn’t even skate. How can I be a punk? Though that’s the beauty of punk, the straight up definition of being punk is being whoever you may happen to be and doing what you want to do. It’s saying “I don’t give a fuck, I’m doing whatever I want.” I guess what I’m getting at here is hipster is the new punk.

But really it’s all the same, with subtle changes in the tapestry. We all think we are so creative and different, and you know what? We are. Not always, but some of us are still in training. Some will still be for a very long time, but most of us will find our way. We’ll combine our collective experiences to form some sort of whole that encompasses who each and every one of us is. Anyway, it’s not the whole picture that counts, it’s the details. When you get down to it, each and everyone of us is a detail in everyone else life with the exception of our own and the few poor assholes we’re closest to. So in conclusion, I should have concluded this before forming this paragraph and I’m 30 minutes late to work. (Ah fuck it, fist I’m gonna go get a $30 haircut. UPTHEPUNX).

Ah, the ol’ best of list. I haven’t complied one in a couple...

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:51:00 -0500

Ah, the ol’ best of list. I haven’t complied one in a couple of years and had a great time listening to records all week trying to sort out and narrow down my favorites. There are of course quite a few things that I wanted to include but ran out of room for (None More Black, Wavves, Steel Train, No Friends), records I enjoyed but haven’t invested enough time in to confidently apply to the list (Kaki King, Titus Andronicus, Farewell Continental, No Age, Broken Social Scene), records I enjoyed, but you don’t need me to tell you they’re fantastic (Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Ke$ha, Janelle Monae, Spoon, Gorillaz, Arcade Fire) and re-released albums that are probably better than anything on here (Pinkerton, Piebald vol. 1-3, Nirvana Livie at Reading). Without further adieu…

#20 Look Mexico – To Bed To Battle

Almost as good as Gasp Asp. This deserves far more attention that it’s received.

#19. The Menzingers – Chamberlain Waits

This record is insanely overrated. It’s also very good.

*edit 09/07/11: I 100% take this back. Turns out this record is quite under-ratted and deserves to be much higher on this list.

#18. Young Livers – Of Misery And Toil

Everyone keeps talking about Make Do And Mend being the new Hot Water Music, but no, sorry people. You’ve got it wrong. Hard as nails and equally melodic.

#17 OkGo – Of The Blue Color Of The Sky

One of the most underrated bands on the planet. Even I’m underrating them by making this record #17. This is a smart and kooky rock band writing Princeesque songs.

#16. Crime In Stereo – I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone

A socking album. A swan song.

#15. Ben Folds – Lonely Avenue

Some of these songs rank among the best songs of his solo career, some do not. It’s Ben so I’ll take what I can get.

#14 Fake Problems – Real Ghosts Caught On Tape

This is a band that continues to evolve and surprise. There’s a lot of 60’s influence here. One of the best album covers of the year too.

#13 The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang

It took a while for this one to sink in with me. Conclusion: It’s a fine collection of songs.

#12. The Dead Weather – Sea Cowards

This one caught me off guard since I was not a fan of their first effort. At moments, it rocks. For the most part, it’s creepy. The fidelity is incredible. There are little nuances all over the recording making every listen intriguing.

#11. The Dopeamines – Expect The Worst

Pissed off nerd pop-punk at its finest.

#10 Stephen Egerton – The Seven Degrees of…

Holy shit. This is basically a Decedents record with a guest vocalist on each of it’s 16 tracks including Dan Andriano, Chris DeMakes, Mike Herrerra, two of the three All vocalists and even Milo.

#9. The Flatliners – Cavalcade

I knew this band had this record in them. They have been hinting at it from the start. With the exception of the mid-tempo “He Was A Jazzman” the up-strokes have been taken out of the equation and what’s left is a collection of airtight aggressive well crafted punk tunes fronted by Chris Cresswell’s coarse vocals that perfectly accompany his natural pop sensibilities.

#8 Los Campesinos – Romance Is Boring

As far as song writing goes, this is one of the most dynamic records of the year. Less spastic than their previous releases, more pissed off. Fun, meet helpless. Now party.

#7. Best Coast – Crazy For You

Simple and undeniably infections surf pop songs about love, loneliness and weed. Non-stop fun. This one could have fallen under the title “records I enjoyed, but you don’t need me to tell you they’re fantastic” but I like it and listen to it way too often to exclude.

#6. Against Me! – White Crosses

Call me crazy, but this may be my favorite era of AM!

#5. Motion City Soundtrack – My Dinosaur Life

This band does little to no wrong. On this record they rock as hard as ever and continue to be witty, charming and fun.

#4. RVIVR – S/T

Great punk pop-punk. Dual male/female vocals. Incredible song writing and enough sweetness to perfectly counteract the angst.

#3. The Measure [sa] – Notes

Another great male/female fronted pop-punk band. After nearly 20 some odd releases in the past few years, they’ve finally found themselves. This is by far the pinnacle of their discography so far.

#2 Balance and Composure / Tigers Jaw – Split

For me, this record is all about B&C’s side. Fantastic song writing, mixing the hookiness and charming whine of I Am The Avalanche with the maturity and weirdness of more recent Brand New.

#1 Tigers Jaw – Two Worlds

I can’t get enough of this record. It never sounds like it begins or ends, as if it’s meant to be looped over and over and over, which is how tend to listen to it. Every song is as good if not better than the song before it. The structures are concise and to the point and the hooks are infectious. It’s hard not to smile the whole way though and I couldn’t fake a smile to save my life (see what I did there).

IamYOUareMEtoo

I wrote words.

Ah, the ol’ best of list. I haven’t complied one in a couple...