These Are a Few of my Favorite Things

Favorite Album : I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning - Bright Eyes

Favorite Movie : Synecdoche, NY

Favorite Book : The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

Favorite Comic Book : The Sandman - Neil Gaiman

Favorite Food : Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

Favorite Drink : Dr Jager

Favorite Fast Food: McDonalds

Favorite Sushi Roll : Spicy Tuna Roll

Favorite Coffee : Dunkin Donuts Hot Medium Regular

Favorite Streaming Service : Netflix

Favorite Hard Liquor : Jagermeister

Favorite Beer : PBR

Favorite Wine : Clean Slate Riesling

Favorite Gatorade Flavor : Fruit Punch

Favorite Dorito Flavor : Nacho Cheese

Favorite Pizza : Mushroom

Favorite Wife : Meg

Favorite Month : April

Favorite Finger : Right hand pointer

Favorite Video Game : Bioshock

Favorite Director : Wes Anderson

Favorite Spider-man Movie : Spider-man 2

Favorite Halo : Halo: Combat Evolved

Favorite Halo Multiplayer : Halo 4 

Favorite Video Game Online Multiplayer Experience : Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Favorite  Artist : Death Cab for Cutie

Favorite Movie From the 1950's: The Bridge on the River Kwai

Favorite Way to Spend an Evening by Myself : Watching back-to-back movies at the theater

HOW CAN YOU PEOPLE ALL BE SO WRONG

Reading Chuck Klosterman's new book, "But What If We're Wrong?"

Page 57.

Footnote on the bottom of the page.


"It's kind of like the prologue to Star Wars, where we are told that the following events happened 'a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.' But the people in Star Wars shoot laser guns and travel at the speed of light, so we are forced to conclude that their past is our future."

...

...

Ok, ok.

This is not the first time I've seen this idea.

But this is the first time I realized that this is a widely held viewpoint.

Hold on. I need to figure out which font is the most difficult to miss.

STAR WARS IS NOT IN OUR FUTURE JUST BECAUSE IT CONTAINS FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGIES

Listen I get that laser guns and space ships are ingrained in our brains as future stuff. But it takes like one second of thought to realize thats not the case with Star Wars.

1. The scrolling prologue is 100% for us as the audience. The galaxy that Star Wars takes place in is far away FROM US. It happened in OUR PAST. OTHERWISE WHAT IS THE FUCKING POINT OF HAVING THAT LINE JESUS.

2. THE PEOPLE AND CIVILIZATIONS IN STAR WARS ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM US AS EARTHLINGS. THEY EXISTED LONG BEFORE US AND AS A RESULT ARE WAY AHEAD OF US IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT. THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IS NOT INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE PASSAGE OF TIME.

So anyway, the book is a little bit interesting and a little bit stupid. The whole thing is one big masturbation sesh for good ol Chuck Klosterman.

I hate his writing style btw.

Suck it Chuck. 

"The 10 Songs post will probably happen on March 31st. Unless I forget which is a super real possibility."

"March 31st."

"UNLESS I FORGET"

"FORGET"

Oh my god.

Lavender

Kind of stumbled on this in an accidental way. This animated Youtube video and the new Two Door Cinema Club song "Lavender" apparently mashup fucking perfectly.

See for yourself:

CLICK HERE FOR DA MAGIC

Also spruced up the ol' digs with a fancy new background and title color/font. You like?

It occurs to me now that probably no one at all saw the last background I had for nearly a year. Well, fuck.

Thats pretty much it. I don't know what to do. I'm too tired to do anything and too alert to go to bed. I'm too bored to not do anything. But also nothing seems interesting. And everything seems like a waste of time. Even though I'm not doing anything.

Well, I'm listening to this Two Door Cinema Club record right now. That's something, right?

Sure.

Blue Mondy

Alright this is our music for today. Serves no real purpose except its the track I happen to be listening to right now and its about to be Monday.

See its shit like this that I'm surprised to learn. How did I not know that the remaining members of Joy Division formed New Order? Like I know I wasn't born yet. But still I feel like I should have run across that at some point.

Its kind of exhausting being born with this back catalog of all recorded music and movies and all the books that have been written and TV shows that ran. I have decades of this shit to listen to and watch and read. I don't have time for this.

Meanwhile there's a constant flow of new shit.

Ech. 

I do enjoy it though. I appreciate having Spotify and being able to pull up every Smiths record and listen to them one after the other. Its nice to have a Netflix queue full of great movies that I'll get around to watching at some point. Honestly, it could be a full-time job just catching up on all of this.

Ok, let me pour another glass of wine.

Back with a glass of wine and sandwich. im good now.

Lets get to the meat of this thing.

God its hot in here.

Its like October and its hot in this apartment.

Ech.

Ok focus Nate.

Today was a good day. Swapped anniversary presents with Meg. Went to the Deerfield Fair. Just a real good day. And tomorrow is our actual 1st Anniversary. Which is kind of mind-blowing. I've been married for a year. Where the holy fuck does time go? Like its pretty scary.

I have a goal of having a house by the time im 30. And whats crazy is that I'm a few short months from 23. 30 aint that far away. I honestly feel like i have to hurry if I'm going to make this happen. And I have no idea how its going to happen. I just have to like manifest a house or something.

I feel like my life simultaneously just started and is also basically over. That's what it feels like to be 22. Don't listen to a damn word Taylor Swift tells you.

Oh HOO Boy whoooo lad wha whoooza (FROOT_REVIEW_MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS)

Oof. What happened Pixies?

Ok so I'm listening to the new Pixies song. (holy god they grandpa pixies now)

Didn't make it through the second go of the chorus. Switched back to the new Die Antwoord track "Fat Faded Fuck Face." This is much better. I love the fuck out of this sound. GOT DAMM YOLANDI.

Ok Kids. We got a bit to talk about. I never did get around to that FROOT review. Ugh. I guess thats the problem with it. It was cool for like a week. I got pretty burnt out pretty damn quick.

Actually nevermind. I'm gonna do it now. I'll review as I go. Lets do this shit. I got three nice cold beers. (Guinness Blondes. HOLY Goddamn. Great shit.)

FROOOT REVIEW

Album actually opens up with this real nice plodding rhythm. Nice showcase for Marina's voice annnnnd it picks up nicely. Like I don't really want to go see a show of this music. But if it were background music on a TV show and I wasn't paying attention, I'd look at the TV because of this song.

Ok. I can't go song by song with this. So I'm just going to let the album keep playing and I'll keep writing about something else. And then i'll sum it up at the end and I may also sprinkle in thoughts here and there if the mood takes me.

FROOT REVIEW PAUSED

So I had another idea I've been wondering about for a bit now. I'd really like to go on a Wine/liquor/beer knowledge expedition. It would be very cool to have this base of knowledge and experience to answer customers questions. In addition to figuring out these things for myself, I thought it would be crazy cool to make like a youtube channel or some dope shit like that and post videos spreading my new knowledge to the masses in an easily digestible way.

So like I could be like OK Folks Here's what bourbon is and here's what Rye is and here's what scotch is and this is how theyre different and how they're made. And if you want to try a bourbon? Grab your tits a bottle of Knob Creek. You want a good blended? Pick yourself some Crown Royal.

You know shit like that.

So yeah thats I thing I've been pushing around in my brain space.

FROOT REVIEW RESUMED

Oof. We had a couple good songs to start of the album. Happy and FROOT are pretty much perfect. Then I'm a Ruin starts and its like this soggy cereal added to the album just as you were setting yourself up to suck down the delicious cereal milk. Just puts a real damper on the whole lovemaking sesh this album was putting on for me so far.

The chorus is rad though. Why can't some songs be just all 100% Organic Chorus. None of that bullshit filler verse shit.

Oh my god. I forgot what a sweet little track this Blue is. This whole album kind of is surprising me right now. Why did I stop listening to this? This shit is fire.

I don't wannnnna feel blue anymoorrre BLUUUUEEEE

OK now you can listen to it with me. Best song on the record hands down. I remember why I put this on my Cymbal profile (Follow me: @ARCTIC). Every time I go back to Marina and The Diamonds I remember hearing them the first time when I Am Not a Robot was the free Itunes track of the week.

There's so few things 22 year old me and 16 year old me agree on. I think its just like Pizza, Meg, Marina and the Diamonds, and Halo?

Forget is a kind of forgettable song. Wish it would end.

Taking all my willpower to not skip the last 30 seconds and jump right into Gold.

I think I remember liking Gold a lot.

Ok, nice so far with this real skittish airy guitar. Lets see where she goes with this.

(I'm on Beer #3 rn)

I think the verdict is that I was mistaken. Shits dull.

Well I got a couple minutes. Lets talk about the cover.

Oh my god I love this. So simple so memorable so poppy.

I guess that's all I really have to say about it.

I like it though.

Song #7 here. I'm really hoping this album doesn't do the final 1/3 album dip that so many albums seem to do. Lady Gaga's stuff seems especially guilty of this. The first 6 or 7 songs will be amazing pop songs that each were popular in their own right and the the last 4 or 5 are songs that feel like they're there JUST BECAUSE there has to be at least 12 songs on a pop record. Like put out a kickass front to back EP. I'll take 7 incredible songs and then nothing over 7 amazing songs that get soured with mediocrity.

Like Childish Gambino's Kauai. 7 songs of front to back magic. And one of my favorite albums of the last couple years.

Oof we're on Solitaire. Not good. Not good.

Nope nope. Spoke too soon. There's something to this chorus.

Ok I take my take-back back. This is over staying its welcome.

Only 20 more minutes of this.

Whoa. Not bad. We've got these really grindy guitars on Better Than That. Finally some life in this poor record. This is a sound I haven't really heard so far. It's a real nice change of pace.

I got a little bored so I started posting pictures of Marina.

UGGGGGHHHHHH

FUCK THIS WHY DO SO MANY ALBUMS GIVE UP HALFWAY THROUGH

I guess like me. I've given up as well.

Fuck this gay earth.

Two more songs. I can do this. I'm chugging my last beer for courage. By God I'm gonna need it. 

I need to decide what song to drink'n'review next. I'm not going to say one here. Dear God am I never making that mistake. I'll do whichever one I feel like in the moment.

Oh nice. Savages is a track with a little life. Finally. What should we expect from Immortals, do you think? Dull, slow piano based track? I'm thinking that.

Ok finish the beer finish the beer finish it.

"Are you killing for yourself or are you killing for your savior?"

She wrote that line. And then she decided to sing it. And then record it.

Blech.

I don't even disagree with the sentiment. Just blech.

Oh here we go.......

Immortals....

....

....

FUCKING CALLED IT OH MY GOD THIS DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A VICTORY THOUGH THIS FEELS LIKE DEFEAT.

Hmm.

you know I guess its not as bad as I first thought.

The lyrics are a dumpster fire. But the actual sound of the song isn't all that bad. Its kind of boring, but if it weren't for the fact that the last four or so songs killed my will to live I don't think I'd hate this track.

Final thoughts? This really is an album that deserves to be raided for great tracks that could nestle their sweet little bodies into any bitching playlist. I would totally recommend that. I don't recommend the whole album though. Its just too lazy after the first half. Realistically, if I had to rate the thing, I'd say 6 out of 10? Coulda been an easy 7. If only it didn't take a one-way trip to Suckville.

Sorry, Marina.

FUCK IT ALL THIS A MUSIC BLOG NOW

I was just thinking about how cool it would be to write up album reviews and put them up here for absolutely no one to read. So I pop onto the ol' blog real quick and would you look at that the last few posts are already about music.

I'm gonna start churning out these mothers.

Also I thought it would be cool to make a twitter account where I review things in a single tweet. Like really just sum stuff right up. Two problems with that are that I'm sure someone else has already done that. And I'm too damn lazy.

That's it I guess.

First album review is gonna be the MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS 2015 release FROOT.

I'm listening to it now! Yay!

I haven't listened to them at all in the six years since I Am Not a Robot was free on Itunes.

I'm having thoughts about it.

This Unruly Mess I've Made

This new Macklemore album is pretty good honestly. I had pretty mixed feelings about The Heist, but this shit is great. I'm on my fourth go-round with this album in two days. The low point is Buckshot and its cheesy-as-fuck bassline. Its hard to pick a high point. Chance the Rapper's verse in Need to Know? White Privilege II? Dance Off? Let's Eat? St. Ides? Downtown's catchiness?

Just damn Macklemore. I don't even like you all that much. But at least its rap my wife will listen to and this definitely doesn't suck. Its cheesy and silly and preachy, but I like it.

FAVORITE FIFTY ALBUMS OF ALL TIME MOTHERFUCKERS

K. Some ground rules.

1. No compilations.

2. These are favorites not GOATs.

Now for the list.
50. On Your Side - A Rocket to the Moon
49. An Airplane Carried Me to Bed - Sky Sailing
48. Dookie - Green Day
47. Paul Baribeau - Paul Baribeau
46. Flaws - Bombay Bicycle Club
45. Cherry Bomb - Tyler, the Creator
44. The Cars - The Cars
43. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
42. MMHMM - Relient K
41. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
40. England Keep My Bones - Frank Turner
39. Ocean Eyes - Owl City
38. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
37. The Queen is Dead - The Smiths
36. Dog Problems - The Format
35. The First Day of Spring - Noah and the Whale
31. What a Time to Be Alive - Drake
30. Wincing the Night Away - The Shins
29. The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem
28. Speak Now - Taylor Swift
27. Grand Ledge - Paul Baribeau
26. Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
25. Cage the Elephant - Cage the Elephant
24. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix
23. Metrics of Affection - Bombadil
22. Out for Blood - Farewell Flight
21. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
20. Weathervanes - Freelance Whales
19. Never Trust a Happy Song - Grouplove
18. Kauai - Childish Gambino
17. Brothers - The Black Keys
16. Aim and Ignite - fun.
15. Tourist History - Two Door Cinema Club
14. Graduation - Kanye West
13. Plans - Death Cab for Cutie
12. Camp - Childish Gambino
11. To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar
10. The Blue Album - Weezer 
 9.  The Head and The Heart - The Head and The Heart
 8.  Love Ire and Song - Frank Turner
 7.  AM - Arctic Monkeys
 6.  My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West
 5.  3 Rounds and a Sound - Blind Pilot
 4.  Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie
 3.  Give Up - The Postal Service
 2.  Because the Internet - Childish Gambino
 1.  I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning - Bright Eyes

Oh well

Ok. Here's what's going on.

Last time I posted I had somewhat ambitiously decided to post my 50 favorite albums. It turns out that that's a bit harder than I first imagined. I have the first ten or so pretty solidly set. After that it gets kind of mushy. I have anywhere from 60-80 albums that could probably slot in after them. And I have no idea what to choose.

To make things a bit worse, I also started listening through some other blogger's 50 favorite albums. I'm on the last 14. God has that been an undertaking. Its been fun though. I'm enjoying it. It's kind of crazy but I've sort of fallen out of a pretty bad musical rut. I haven't been listening to this much new music since I posted on here about my 10 Life Soundtrack songs. That was almost exactly five years ago. On March 31st 2011. So then I was going to do another one of those.

Just to see how much its changed you know? And I have the list. It just feels like missing an opportunity to post it before March 31st. Its too close. And its too cool to have accidentally made a five-year update.

Especially because I thought it would be fun to redo my 50 favorite album list in five years. I can even do the ten song one too.

I've been watching some reviews of albums too lately. And reading some stuff. And I feel totally out of my depth. My opinions on movies are backed up by a pretty hardcore obsession over the last 2-3 years. My music has been kind of haphazard and stagnant for my whole life. And yes, there have been major shifts in that time period, like branching outside of Christian music, and almost exclusively listening to Pop Punk, only to go away from most music completely and now settling on a mixture of indie/alt/punk/rap.

I still know nothing. I like certain albums. I dislike other ones. I don't know why. So when I see people arguing over music and having very strong opinions, I get a little antsy.

Still I'm enjoying this discovery phase. Its weird but I think this is the first time in my life I've returned to an obsession before. Actually that's not true. I did go back to comic books for a bit.

I don't know why I do this to myself. I'm still pretty caught up in the movie thing. Even if I have backed down from the 50-60 movies I month I was doing last year at this time. Thats 100% work schedule though. I'm still watching 15-20 movies a month. I'll take what I can get.

Tonight for instance, I am going to see VVITCH. I'm super excited. This has been on my radar for a good sixish months. I hope it scares the shit out of me. And then I have to write about it on my other blog which is actually my very own website. Which I would link to but I realized I stopped paying Squarespace to host it. Which I'm going to have to do. FUCK.

Ok so now what I meant to explain. The 50 favorite albums post will happen as soon as I can figure it the fuck out. Could be three days or three weeks. The 10 Songs post will probably happen on March 31st. Unless I forget which is a super real possibility.

I still don't know why I'm doing this again. Or if I'm going to keep doing it, but who the fuck cares. No one's reading it anyway amiright?

I can't believe I'm doing this.

Well, shit.

This is one big cringe-fest for me. I only made it a couple posts down.

I honestly can't believe I wrote half this shit. Its honestly making me reconsider posting anything here because I'm scared that if I read it in 2019 I'll have the same gag reflex I'm having now.

I have a couple things I'd like to post here, but before I do I think a small recap is in order.

2013-2016: I got married. I live in Mass now. I work for the state and a company that makes pizza dough. My music tastes are better now (I think). I'm a registered Democrat. I'm an atheist. I watch R rated movies. I drink often and smoke occasionally. I'm happier. I have no idea what's going to happen anymore.

Except that I'll be posting again in a few days.

That's all.