Boxing Day.

A late Joyeux Noël to you all.

Richmond's Main Street Station, via trainnet.org

For the first time in seventeen years, we welcomed a white Christmas to the lovely, normally snow-deprived RVa area. So happy white Christmas, Richmonders (and most of the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and New England area dwellers as well).

via obsoleteblog

My perfect snow/winter music: For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver. A good winter, indeed. Either that, or the rest of the Dark Was the Night album. I know I sing its praises quite frequently, but there's a reason for that.

Stadia III, via Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

To continue with this entry's rather disorganized thought process, I thought I'd highlight the work of one of my favorite artists, Julie Mehretu. She is an Ethiopian artist living and working in New York, but she divided her time between the Big Apple and Berlin to complete her collection to be shown at the Guggenheim. The above painting, however, is being shown at none other than Richmond's own VMFA, and therefore is near and dear to  my heart.

Thus ends my post. More constructive posts to follow, I promise.

Jack.

Via Collider

James Franco...
We all loved him in Spiderman. The sheer joy of seeing yet another comic book of the past brought to life made the viewer forget how talentless most of the actors were. This includes Franco. Riding the coattails of his surly, undeniably good looks, it seems he never learned to act. Nor did he learn to be very much. When glancing over some sketchy internet biography of his, one will find that he is, apparently, an actor, painter, and author. And now a PhD candidate at Yale University?

Apparently, the venerable university, which boasts one of the best English departments in the country, appears to be a little starry-eyed. Upon reading Franco's short story in Esquire, I feel that he is nothing more than a postmodern gimmick. On top of that, what I could find of his art (shown in 2006 in NYC) was awful. Beheaded mannequins amid piles of junk and kindergarten-esque scribblings are apparently supposed to represent teenage male sexual awakening. I can't see it. His bildungsroman is a mystery and a flop to me.

So here's to James Franco, jack of all trades, but the master of none. Keep trying.

I guess I'm one to talk.

In love.

Via www.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk

Today, I fell in love with...
The University of St. Andrews.
The Tallest Man on Earth.
Vince Guaraldi.
Completed finals.

Joyeux Noël!

Break from my break...

Via jonsi.com

I'm breaking from my studying-themed internet fast. Temporarily. For good reason.

Jónsi [very sneakily] released a single from his new Go Live album, free for download. Listen and download here. You will not be disappointed. But hey, it's Jónsi. Of course you won't.

Isn't she lovely?

Song: "It's Alright," by Yorkshire band One Night Only.

Most Unexpected

Modern day Renaissance man Sufjan Stevens has become an elusive character to the "indie" scene. He arrived with a bang ten years ago, and has since gifted us with a collection of albums of the same number. After developing a devoted fan base, he disappeared. In hindsight, I think we all the love the mystery and intrigue that he presented.

All the same, ever since his musical exodus after Illinois, we have been eating up his erratic contributions, among them, a track from the Red Hot compilation, Dark Was the Night, and a commission to compose the score of a film dedicated to the Brooklyn-Queen Expressway (both are marvelous to the ears; I'd recommend you listen to them as soon as possible). Despite the exasperation he may have caused his fans, the dramatic return of Sufjan to the scene may be just what we all needed to shake us from our comfortable acoustic stupor.

With no prior announcement, leak, or smoke signal, Sufjan began discreetly booking shows in small clubs across North America, and followed it with the release of the All Delighted People EP. A week later, he followed with the indeed delightful announcement of a full-length album to follow in October, The Age of Adz. The album was like nothing we'd heard from Stevens before, following his unique folk style of the albums dedicated the "50 States Project." It was like a structured, lyrical harnessing of his electronic foray on Enjoy Your Rabbit, coupled with his propensity for insightful story-telling. Oh, and the apocalypse.

I had the opportunity to attend his show this past week at a beautiful club in my hometown, the National of RVa. My experiences have been nothing but stellar at this club, which has recently been featuring some of my favorite musicians. The Sufjan show was nothing short of shocking, wonderful, and unexpected. Sufjan, performing his epic twentry-five minute magnum opus "Impossible Soul," actually danced the robot ridiculously clad and perhaps making a Michael Jackson tribute with his single, glittering white glove. It was damn good stuff.

Setlist:
Seven Swans
Age of Adz
Too Much
Heirloom
I Walked
Futile Devices
Vesuvius
Now That I'm Older
Get Real, Get Right
Enchanting Ghost
Impossible Soul
Chicago
Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
Casimir Pulaski
Jacksonville
John Wayne Gacy, Jr.

And yes, he wore the wings.

Postscript:
On less of a thrown back note, I have an interesting weekend lined up, including another local show, which the reputation Charlottesville's unexpectedly stellar local scene guarantees will be awesome. Finally, have you heard the Decemberist's new single, "Down By the Water," from their forthcoming album? Listen here.  It's an interesting mix of Colin Meloy's unnerving and trademark vocals, Stevie Nicks-esque harmonies...and--here's a weird one--harmonica reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen's early work. Say what?

Post Postscript:
Songs of the Week:
"You've Done it Again, Virginia," The National
"Movement I: The Countenance of Kings," Sufjan Stevens (The BQE)
"A Violent Yet Flammable World," Au Revoir Simone
"Daniel," Bat For Lashes
"Zebra," Beach House

Musica

Courtesy of dailybeatz

The second installment of my new favorite blog segment. I don't pretend to be very on top of current music, so don't expect these to be new songs. However, if you haven't heard the below before, take this time to enjoy them. And if you have heard of them...enjoy them anyway.

Songs of the Week:

"Padding Ghost," Dan Deacon
"Yes, I'm Cold," Chris Bathgate
"Foot Shooter," Frightened Rabbit
"The Last Beat of My Heart," DeVotchKa
"Tangled Up in Blue," Bob Dylan

By the way, I recently discovered that Justin Vernon (the mastermind behind project Bon Iver) was featured on Kanye's new album. Kanye borrows the eerie auto-tune vocals, courtesy of Bon Iver's Blood Bank in the track "Lost in the World," which can be heard here. I'll give it to him: it's damn good.

Reviews to come of both the Sufjan Stevens and Bob Dylan shows I had the pleasure to attend this week. Something to anticipate?

Have a good night.

For your viewing and listening pleasure.

Something of a dream sequence for me. I wish Joseph Gordon-Levitt would rob my bank.

Songs of the week:
"Dance Yrself Clean" - LCD Soundsystem
"Blood" - The Middle East
"Tall Saint - The National
"Make Your Heart" - Azure Ray
"Impossible Soul" - Sufjan Stevens

Have I mentioned how excited I am to see him next week? In my lovely hometown? It simply does not compare.

Now that's a religious experience.

The Inevitable Halloween Post

Ryan Gosling's band Dead Man's Bones, via Trendland

Halloween is a veritable religion here at the University. It has been building up to this climax all week, my fellow students have been showing up in costumes to class (despite the fact that the actual traditional holiday isn't until Sunday), and lugging cheap fabric and other paraphernalia across Grounds in effort to make the best getup they can. And all these things would be unacceptable in any sort of normal culture. But of course, this is the American collegiate system. There is nothing normal to be found here. We exist in a cultural, economic, and developmental bubble.

Where else would women dressed as provocative versions of almost anything be acceptable? The college-aged and irresponsible adult peer groups seem to revel in the fact that once a year, they can be publicly reveal their inner sex kitten or slutty French maid. That's right, ladies: tonight, you can be a prostitute. Dream come true?

Not only does this result in a complete acceptance and willingness to objectify one's body, but a desire to do so. Is there a latent kinkiness we are all ashamed of 364 days a year, but that can be displayed... nay, flaunted on October 31st? This makes me have very little faith in my peer group. Not only this, but it demonstrates a complete lack of creativity when "dressing up". To draw from (of all things) Sex and the City, there are two options for women: sexy witch or sexy kitten. Nothing else. For men, it is harder. But then again, there is no pressure to be "skanky" or sexually promiscuous is their get-up.

On the upside, there is a small minority of students that I have seen who went above and beyond the cultural norm and dressed up as simply stellar characters. To name a few: Woody from Toy Story (complete with pull string and all), Frieda Kahlo, Richie Tenenbaum, the Brawney Paper Towel Man, and the Fantastic Mr. Fox. Notice, however, that only one of these costumers was a woman. 

Let's question the reason why we accept Halloweekend and all its cultural mores before we jump into that tunic, bunny ears, and obnoxiously "sexy" heels. 

Invented, indeed.

So, here to follow is one of many album reviews to come. I've fooled myself into thinking I'm something of a music connoisseur. I enjoy a great many genres of music, but that of the band to follow is somewhat out of character for me. But Jimmy Eat World is one of those bands you'll never really outgrow.

So what if they've been around since 1993? Some greatness never dies. Formed in Phoenix Arizona, they're one of the only West(ish) Coast bands I've always loved (that is, of course, besides those signed or related to Sub Pop). I don't care if they've grossed top-hits lists, or been played on your bad local alternative station. They are good pop-alternative and that's all there is to it.

I can say I've been an avid fan since before I can remember: Futures was the soundtrack to my life for a good three or four years, and I can proudly say I saw them for their ten year anniversary Clarity tour at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. in 2009. My brother once perfectly described their albums as such: Clarity was an example of powerful and long-winded vocals; Bleed American, a tried and true American teenage rock album (you can't deny that guitar); Futures, of excellent melancholy song-writing, and purely produced tracks; and Chase This Light is just a solid, good pop album (is there such a thing?) What, then, of their newly released Invented?

Via jimmyeatworld.com

It would be an understatement to say that I had high expectations for this new album. However, my heart sank at the clips and whatnot features on iTunes. What was this pop failure? My first taste of the album was the second track, "My Best Theory." I was unwilling to admit to myself that it was bad. But it is. It's horribly predictable, like some pop-punk power ballad; anyone who pays the slightest attention to musical structure will predict the hook on the first listen. "Coffee and Cigarettes" explores a story-telling structure that we haven't heard since Clarity's "Blister", and the epithet grows exhausting, to say the least. Upon finally owning the album, I was overjoyed to listen to the opening (and sorely underrated) track, "Heart Is Hard to Find." There's the stellar writing I had come to take for granted, and once again realized in a great Jimmy track.

The rest of the album? Besides the first track, there is nothing new to be found on it. "Movielike", "Invented", "Mixtape" and that catchy first track are my favorites, to be certain. The second track is a sore disappointment, but the rest of the tracks can find their twins in previous Jimmy Eat World albums. Having said that, it is not necessarily a bad thing, considering their previous albums are all (yes, all) quite amazing. And they continue their tradition of concluding their albums with at least one wonderfully melancholy, emotional ballad-esque song (take, for example, "Goodbye Sky Harbor," "My Sundown," "23," and "Dizzy."). In my opinion, their strongest consistency.

(Not to mention that the album art features some great photography by Hannah Starkley. Jim Adkins is famed for seeking inspiration in photography above all other media. A man after my own heart.)

In closing, if your were awaiting something new and ground-breaking from Jim Adkins and the boys, those days died with Futures and Stay On My Side Tonight. However, if you're just a die-hard Jimmy Eat World fan like me, you'll enjoy Invented, so long as you skip that pesky second track, and get your Folgers and Marlboro Lights ready for track six.

Tell me you felt nothing

The above header is courtesy of Alexandra Valenti. (Before I forget to attribute this lovely piece and run the risk of halfwittedly breaking those sacred laws of intellectual and artistic property which I so artificially try to champion during the day.)

And with that verbose introduction...

I warn you: I am more stereotypical than I usually care to let on. I procrastinate, therefore, I blog. (A new interpretation of Descartes for your enjoyment.) I am nothing more than a self-proclaimed bibliophile, as well as a music-lover and amateur traveler. I haven't been far...but I will go. In the meantime, I seek a place to collect and share my thoughts. I will never claim or hope to be particularly insightful, or humorous. Unless of course, you enjoy a weird, particularly awkward cross of the humors of Michael Cera and Dorothy Parker. If so, than we have a deal.

It is my intention to feature something musically related every post. It will a tough task, however, deciding which to feature, since there are so many. I will probably kick off with a band that has, no doubt, changed my life. All you Sigur Rós fans out there, your long-awaited shout-out is here.

via hip2besquare

Sigur Rós is solely the most underrated musical project in the history of music. I make a hefty statement there, but I will bear fully the brunt of such a claim. Their music is pure beauty, and love. Examples can be found in the songs Hoppípolla (featured in an early trailer of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire) and  Staralfur (featured in the credits of Wes Anderson's Life Aquatic). Now tell me you felt nothing.

Now for some French. That is all. Bonsoir.

New

Another newbie coming to join the blogging community. Facebook is poison; this has become my alternative. Legitimate posts to come soon, I think.