So, i haven't updated for a while, but not nearly as long as before. I'm moving to Nebraska in August. I don't have a whole lot to say at the moment. Night all!
Since it is such a high demand, here is why "Black Out" by The Good Life is my favorite CD ever.
First of all, it is an autobiographical snapshot, like much of what The Good Life releases is. The lead singer and songwriter, Tim Kasher, uses his songs as memoirs. Their later album "Album of the Year" talks about his divorce, and the events leading up to it. This cd, while discussing the same thing, takes a much more cinematic approach in doing so, deal solely with the decline of the relationship and his feelings afterwards, deals with feelings he has towards his mother, and details his drinking problem.
Codas are used both lyrically and musically throughout the album. 3 different parts of the song "Black Out" are featured at different parts of the album, one at the beginning, one at the middle, and one at the very end. The first two foreshadow the coming stories of the songs, the last recalls the events of the album. Furthermore, the term "some bullshit escape" is used at different points in the album, primarily as the title of the third track, and as a repeated line in the song "Drinking with the Girls". I am also able to relate extensively to nearly every song. The track "Early Out of the Gate" deals with disappointment and resentment towards his mother, while the song the song "Some Bullshit Escape" deals with going on a drinking and sleeping binge in an attempt to get over his divorce.
The album is cinematic in nature, with various pieces to create a mood. The song "Drinking with the Girls" stands as a counter point to the upbeat nature of "I Am an Island", which is full of self-deprecating jokes. "Drinking with the Girls" is the somber telling of the consequences of the extravegance in "I Am an Island". "Empty Bed" continues the themes of "Drinking with the Girls", bring the album to it's emotional climax. "When at last you wake, from your drunken sleep, to find some rash decision, or promise you didn't keep, but at least you tried, oh at least you tried you tried". The story of the album is non-linear. The early songs paint the pictures of drunken desperation, while the latter half of the album tells the listener of the events leading to them.
The album itself ends with an optimistic song "Off the Beaten Path" (which contrasts the second, more depressed song of the album "The Beaten Path"), much as a book ends with the main character in a postion of promise, once again ready to succeed in life.
That's all I've got for now. You'd better read the whole thing, Kelsey. And let me know what you think.
Last night, I got into bed at 9:15. I didn't intend to go to
sleep then, but I wanted to read some for a while. 10 was sounding like
a good time to fall asleep, as that would've netted me 8 hours. I
didn't actually finish reading until about 12.
I read "The Post Office" by Charles Bukowski in its entirety last
night. It was pretty good. Similar to "The Stranger" by Albert Camus in
someways, but very different in plot and resolution. It certainly
caters to the male experience however. I'm looking forward to reading
"The Road to Los Angeles" by John Fante. Fante and Bukowski get lumped
together alot, appearantly.
I'm talking to Kelsey alot lately, which is nice. I haven't talked to
her regularly since high school, and she has alot of nice and
insightful things to say.
Anyway, I'm at work, so I better actually do something.
After reviewing the contents of this posting, I think it's best that I take it down. It was however amazingly written, and I was quite proud of my style here. Email me or leave me a comment if you want to see it, but be forewarned it's a pretty damn depressing post.
Bet you didn't expect to see me here! I am at work right now, but there
is nobody around and things are really quiet. I haven't been so brazen
yet as to log onto to Facebook or Myspace or to chat on AIM, but Xanga
is nice and inconspicuous.
I'm taking 15 units this semester, counting a last minute add on the
first day of class. So far it's been lots of reading and homework, but
I feel like I'm learning alot and it's good to be applying myself so
much to school. I am really appreciative of being in a posistion where
I can solely focus on school, as it is is one I've never been in.
I've been very introspective lately, which I think was instigated by
some personal life events. I feel I understand better what I want out
of a relationship, and I feel I am in a stronger position to gain what
I want in non-romantic endeavors. I started talking to Andy again, and
I've been feeling medium-arty. I was driving home from school for my
middle-of-the-day break, and I saw this old man standing in the mediam
with traffic flying by him on both sides. I wanted to take a picture,
because I think that is one of the best physical representations of how
I realized I had been feeling. There the man was, attempting to get to
one side of the street or the other, with traffic that he couldn't
control on all sides of him. Sorry, seeing that guy just made me feel
weird.
I know that I want to start writing more letters, because I think
they're a simple and easy but thoughtful way of keeping in touch
with people. And who doesn't like getting mail!?
http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com is amazing. Go read all of them right now.
