Obama & Palin in Archie. Something I Never Thought I’d See.

Omg this is too awesome. I’m thinking of (ugh) buying iTunes tracks, even.

Genetically Co-evolved: The Elephant & The Ghetto Blaster

[pic via Brock Davis]

Progressive Rock.

King Crimson, Rush, Genesis.

These are the bands with pictures over the definition of “Pretense“, one of the worst offenses of Douchebags everywhere. I mean, I can take some proggy songs, some of the time, but when some frat boy plunks $5 into the jukebox, I pray that we aren’t in store for 80 minutes of rock opera crooning and over the top drum solos. [[1]]Although I gotta admit, you get your band for your buck with the 10 min+ songs.[[1]]

Prog Rock is one thing, but I am not ashamed to admit: Pink Floyd… is a great band. Ever since I was first enthralled by “Time”, and the rest of Dark Side of the Moon (the pinnacle of stoner rock){{1}}, The Wall (We Don’t Need No Education), both super selling mega classic rock blockbusters. [[1]]Anyone remember chillin’ out after the party, sleepin’ in the back of the truck, buzzed and cold, but happy to be among friends, underneath the starry, starry night?[[1]] Although DSotM will always be my first and favorite, my really close second is not “The Wall”, but “Animals”.

Pink Floyd’s tribute to George Orwell’s story, “Animal Farm”, this album has a short, but sweet tracklist:

1. Pigs on the Wing, Pt. 1 (1:25)
2. Dogs (17:08)
3. Pigs (Three Different Ones) (11:28)
4. Sheep (10:20)
5. Pigs on the Wing, Pt. 2 (1:25)

Songs there are few, but each of the 4 animals get over 10 minutes of haunting singing and guitar solos. Sung from the perspective of the animals, songwriters Roger Waters and David Gilmour imbue each animal with a negative trait. Waters—the mastermind behind the spiral of despair that is The Wall—wrote all of the songs except one.

My favorite member of Pink Floyd{{2}}[[2]]Barring Syd Barrett, band headmaster during Pink’s early, psychadelic days[[2]], David Gilmour—the acoustic genius behind Dark Side I might add—is the writer and guitar player on one of my favorite songs of all time, “Dogs”.

Who was born in a house full of pain.
Who was trained not to spit in the fan.
Who was told what to do by the man.
Who was broken by trained personnel.

Who was fitted with collar and chain.
Who was given a seat in the stand.
Who was breaking away from the pack.
Who was only a stranger at home.

Who was ground down in the end.
Who was found dead on the phone.
Who was dragged down by the stone.

Fairey did a nice job on the new cover

Fact being that I still can’t give a solid answer on the difference between Communism & Socialism (can you?) though, admittedly a lot of the meaning behind Orwell’s story went straight over my 10 25 year old brain. If anything though, it planted the seed of my extreme distaste for greed, materialism and politricks.

While Animal Farm’s message resonated with my young soul, 1984 also hit me hard like a ton of bricks. Unlike the communist oriented Farm, ’84 was a story whose message was directed toward the lovely type of capitalistic western empire that I call home{{3}}, AND was named after the year of my birth. But nonetheless, Animal Farm wins out. I’m not stupid enough to miss the reason why though: Instead of oppressive Big Brothers and boring Ministries, you have Talking Animals™. Anthropomorphism wins again (See above elephant).

[[3]] Industrial England, Corporatist America whatever. Semantics.[[3]]

I reread it every other year or so, and like any good book, I always find new meanings & messages every time. Squealer is my most despised character though. True to his name, this greedy pig had a mastery of the enemy’s cruelest, yet most least recognizable tactic of oppression, one that is in both 1984 and Animal Farm: the corruption and controlling of the very language we speak, think and and record history with. Squealer’s sly manipulation of the clueless sheep and the hardworking and loyal—but dimwitted—Boxer, the powerhouse of Animal Farm, has gotta be some of the worst examples of the perversion of power. Yuk. I’m glad I’m no pig.

But what about you? Are you a dog, pig or sheep?

Only in Japan.

Nice to meet you have a nice day… OHHHHHHH!

Tsuneo Imahori -Love & Peace

Tsuneo Imahori – Sound Life~LEM

Beautifully Odd:{{1}}. [[1]]Or is it Oddly Beautiful?[[1]] What makes me, me.

a Slime...

[via Trigun OSVs, JP Dole CM, and Mecha Fetus]

It may be a fake, but it's a cute fake.

I have good friends, scattered across the globe: throughout Cali’s big cities, in New York, Texas, Japan, Philippines and beyond. Though I wish I could see them more often (and even though I’m really bad at keeping contact with them), when we do finally get a chance to catch up with each other, we always pick right up from where we left off. I’m not one who throws around the term “friend” loosely though. I’m definitely no socialite who hangs out in places where everybody knows my name. “Quality, not quantity” is best when it comes to friendships, as my mother always told me.

Darkel – Be My Friend

The chorus on this song gets stuck in my head every once in a while; Today is one of those days. Unlike what usually happens with solo projects, Darkel—one half of the synthpop French Duo, Air—has created a sound that is pretty much identical with the style that he creates with his peer. Be My Friend could very well be put on an Air album and no one would be the wiser. And that’s not a bad thing.

Thanks ya’ll.

I thought his palms were sweaty…

In addition to the DOOM, I’ve also been stuck listening on some Um Jammer Lammy tunes. The spiritual sequel to the  Parappa the Rapper{{1}}, the game that single-handedly created the “Music Game” genre, Um Jammy replaces the rapping pooch with a rockin lamb. While it doesn’t quite capture the same charm as Parappa—guitar licks aren’t as cute as funny rhymes{{2}}—the tunes are still catchy as hell. Literally.

Um Jammer Lammy OST – Taste of Teriyaki (Parappa Version)

[[1]]Parappa the Rapper 2 was eventually made , but I haven’t played it or heard the songs. I hate being a cheapass/late adopter of game systems sometimes.[[1]]

[[2]]Actually, if you perform well as Lammy, you can unlock the second part of the game where you play as Parappa who raps to remixed versions of the same songs Lammy played guitar on.[[2]]

In one level, Lammy DIES, then goes to hell{{3}}. [[3]]Of course this was censored out in the US version.[[3]] Here, she meets a lusty lounge singer who’s “talking bout a lotta fire / talkin’ bout no gettin tired” tempts Lammy by crooning that she “can think of something for me and you to do”.

Dope rhymes don't pay the bills.

Remember, this is a sequel to the game where the cutesy catch phrase was “I gotta believe!”. I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again: Japanese folk are crazy. Hell, remember Chop Chop Master Onion? One of the dopest characters ever made? Well, he lost his dojo and is a street bum, telling Lammy that “nobody ever talks to me no more”. That’s fuckin’ sad. Why would they do this to one of my childhood heroes?

But that’s not to say that the game is all PG-13; in other levels you help put out a fire and even babysit some babbling babies. And the game’s final song is an uplifting anthem telling ya to never give up, never cut corners and always do your best. Aww…

So if you haven’t already, take a listen to the songs, and enjoy the campy craziness that is Um Jammer Lammy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta get these songs outta my head, and the casino outta my hair.

PS: NEVER USE JOE CHIN’S CHAINS FOR THEM NO!

Kids draw the darndest things

MC Serghino – Pocotocopo

Try saying that 5 2 times fast. And a fucking horse whinny. Fucking Brazil, I love it…definitely gotta go sometime and get my funk on. Who’s with me?

All of these countries are featured in Street Fighter games. COINCIDENCE!?!?!

Recently, I’ve been listening to a lotta (MF) DOOM again. His unorthrodox flow and cheesy 80’s cartoons samples are like buttered onions for me. AKA Dope + Dope = Double Dope. Homeboy even made a whole album loosely-themed around another one of my favorite subjects: FOOD. Acutally, he also has 9 CDs of instrumentals where every track is named after a spice of some sort. That’s dedication.

He’s semi-big shit with the “DUDE I’m HELLA underground” crowd these days though, ever since he’s been featured on some Adult Swim stuff. All good, I suppose. I ain’t one of those people; I still got love for the Villain. In fact, one of his tracks offa the MM..FOOD album is one of my favorite songs of ALL TIME. OF ALL TIME{{1}}.

[[1]]Anagrams are also dope.[[1]]

MF DOOM – Beef Rapp

The beat is just too dope{{2}}. The flow is too gorgeous. But it’s the samples that get me. Too ridiculous.

BONUS: I need to find a reason to use this ringtone I made. Also, Meat Wrap!

[[2]]Have I said “dope” enough? Online, dope is my go to word for “cool”. IRL though, I don’t use it too much. When something is hella cool though, I say, “DOP”. Pronounced daap. I dunno why I say it like that, droppin E like I’m Mac Dre.[[2]]

Coffee – Cassanova

Thanks to growlTunes, I got a glimpse at the cover art. Coupled with the funkycheese beat, I couldn’t help but let loose with a hearty grin.

Oh 80's. How I love thee.

[song originally via #1 Songs in Heaven]