Category Archives: Music

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Roomate Confessions & Inspirational Music

Roomate Confessions & Inspirational Music

Life, Music, Reviews, , , , , , , ,

Note: I wrote this back in January right after my life-changing roommates from hell got their 30 days. These songs helped me get through the next month and allowed me to heal, and forgive (but never forget of course). At the end is a little statement I hope they see someday.

I feel calmer now.

The house meeting with Sally just ended. To my friends, and the people who care about me: It went well. An eviction notice was handed down.

the pillows – I Think I Can

Its a great two part song. Inspirational anthem in the beginning, and emotional ballad at the end give it a great one-two punch of anime-inspired j-rock by the pillows. If you want your heart strings tugged at like Weezer’s “My Name is Jonas” then hit up some FLCL and listen for the tunes from a rock band that has found a place in many anime-lover’s hearts, alongside Yoko Kanno, Tsuneo Imahori and The Seatbelts.

Who knows why the J-genres: J-pop, J-rock & J-indies are so endearing and approachable. “I Think I Can” is not the only anime tune that appeals to me so . It kinda reminds me of Joe Hisaishi’s themes for the Studio Ghibuli films, such as Mononoke Hime (Main Theme), Laputa (空から降ってきた少女 [The Girl Who Fell from the Sky] ),.
Listening to the Totoro theme – 風の通り道 ) [Kaze no tourimichi], I am still brought to tears by its beauty.



Its no coincidence that this song is about the wind, whose fleeting nature is perhaps the epitome of the Japanese concept of あわれ (a-wa-re). The song is also connected with memories of my Aunt passing away as a child, and is a sad, yet inspiring and hopeful reminder of nature’s—and life’s—transience.

Back to the pillows. Yes, apparently there is no capitalization.

かけがえのない
夢を知っちゃった
もう絶対ごまかせないんã
寝ても覚めても繰り返す
I – C – A – N

Kake ga e no nai
Yume o shicchatte (I found out about your dream that money can’t buy)
Mo zettai gomakasenai n da (And you definitely won’t )
Netemo sametemo kuri kaesu
I-C-A-N

I think I can
I think I can
I think I can

(repeat 3 times)

Walking around with this song playing through my iPod, I believe in myself, in my power, in my dreams. It has really been a nice pick-me-up song when the roommate drama at home gets me down. If you haven’t seen FLCL, really do take the chance to see it. Its a really short series (only 6 episodes) that has great animation, music and story. Like Totoro, its another “coming-of-age” story that blows the usual Disney affairs out of the atmosphere. Dubbing’s not too bad either.
. : .
It’s a shame about the split— it was not amicable.

Oletta, I really did feel that there is—as you would say—”potential” in you.. as a friend. I don’t really take anything you’ve said to me personally, and I don’t mean any harm to you either. It really hurt when you said you would stop cooking here, because I know its something that you probably enjoy doing. I don’t think anyone would want you to stop doing something that you have been able to do here at the house.

Erik, I’m sure we woulda kicked it plenty in another life. I really did enjoy your company those first few times we chilled. I know you’ve been in a rough situation since moving down here to SD, and I’m sorry that things didn’t work out here at the house. I’m really glad that you’ve been able to find cool people to kick it with here though; I remember when me, Adelina & James used to look back to kickin it with you in earlier in the year. And it would have been cool to have someone to play the cool games I had… Though we haven’t been able to get to know one another, I wish you well. But punk. I know you stole my games.

If these next 30 days prove to be easy going, that’d be nice. A shame, but nice. Ah, I hope Baby well too. Don’t keep her shivering in the cold like y’all do

Alas, at least I feel peace at heart.
Sorry it had to be
this way.

~
Terry

PS: I don’t plan on starving, or burning in hell

Beat Illuminations

Inspiration, Life, Music, , , ,

Thought: I heard a heart beat .

THUMP THUMP

and another bellowed even lower.

Boom, bom bom BOM.

Through the floor. I was trippin’ cuz I didn’t know where it was coming from. It was just the beat of the music.

THUMP THUMP Boom etc.

I jammed and danced.

The heartbeat ended. Sounds resound, headtrip.

Erykah Badu – I Want You

By far one of my favorite songs of 2003, from the ever soulful Erykah “BecAuse i DU”. Remember “Back in the Day”, Miss Kaia… When we would? …I miss you big sis!

Both tracks are from “Worldwide Underground” One of my favorite “Get your ass UP” albums.

Danger!

Humble Beginnings my ass.

Music, , , , ,

So one of the greatest tricks of elementary school education that I uncovered as a collegehigh school student was that all the holidays and celebrations that are inherently “American” are hella fucked up. Columbus Day (Kill the Savages and Take Their Land), Thanksgiving (KTSATTL II: Whitey Strikes Back), Black History “Month” (Here’s your twenty-eight days) etc., etc. But don’t shoot me! Its really about the celebration (OF PATRIOTISM!111) with friends and family right? And BBQ. Yeaaaah…

Fuck Yeah!

Perhaps as a reward for America’s thankless effort in the War Against Terror, some patriotic archaeologists have found the home of our 1st founding father himself, George Washington, in . While growing up, I envisioned Washington, Adams and the crew as crazy rugged, statuesque, super-people (Culture II Anyone?). Reading about them in history books and stuff, you get a lot of “pulled up by the bootstraps” epic hero shit.

But apparently these “humble beginnings” were as real as Washington’s fabled wooden teeth (i.e. as fake as a wooden nickel):

Dr. Levy and other members of the excavation team said the foundations, stone-lined cellars and other remains suggested that this was far from being the rustic cottage of common perception, but instead one befitting a family of the local gentry. It was a much larger one-and-a-half-story residence, with perhaps eight rooms and an adjacent structure for the kitchen.

Did you ever doubt it?

Call & Response

The Coup – Piss On Your Grave
(from Steal This Album)

Boots & Pam the Funkstress’ humble tribute to the #1 whitey. This song helped me understand what “privalege” is, both the white kind and my own.

your hands is soft as a peach/
cuz you ain’t never did work/
been rich ever since/
your daddy’s dick went squirt/
have you ever hurt from your back?
ducked from rat-a-tat-tats?
seen your mama on crack?
lived in a pontiac?
drank baby similac/
so you could have protein?
(just for enough energy
to hustle up some mo’ green?)

I ain’t no white person, but I’m a college student who don’t gotta worry bout the bills. Uncle Sam takes care of those thanks to my Vietnam Veteran Dad. Is it hypocritical to hate the military/industrial complex, but take and be thankful for their money? Oh opposing truths!

People say I have really soft hands. I wish I had the bankroll to match. Ah well.

PS: Gotta love the mini-skit halfway through—I too, love DC.

Nitro Microphone Underground Japanese Rap Expose

Music, , , , , , ,

Nitro Microphone Underground
“Down the Line”
“Akugidenwa (Prank Call)”
“10 Muri”
(from Straight From The Underground)

J-rap is an intriguing genre if anything. A lot of the vernacular is taken from the US Rap scene, but according to the wikipedia article, Japanese rappers are able to “express themselves in a more Japanese style, both in basic language and in regard to themes”. Yet when I went over there back in 2005, I sampled what was current on the Tokyo scene (aka “The Bay Area”). I heard a lot of shit, and everyone wanted to sound like a Japanese DMX—Barks and all.
But forreals though, Japan’s hip-hop/rap scene is developing into its own, and some of that shit bangs! Some of the pop stuff like the Teriyaki Boyz is aight (think Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift), but the real gold is in the underground rap/hip-hop scene.

Nitro Microphone Underground is one of the first j-rap artists who didn’t sell out and pop out their act, and were recognized by the industry for it. With “Down the Line”, the members of the group (Dabo, Macka-chin, Deli, Suiken, Gore-Tex, S-Word, XBS, and Bigzam—its like a Japanese Wu-Tang) take turns passing the mic after 24 bars. Each distinctive flow & swagger is punctuated by a beat the hits the rewind button between each rapper, giving the track a fresh restart each time.

In “10 Muri”, you might recognize some famous samples which are long standbys in the rap producer’s lingua franca. And the memorable, chanting chorus “けっこ、マジ、けっこ、マジ！” (kekko maji kekko maji – “I’m fine. Forreals?”) knocks up the appeal.

“Akugidenwa (Prank Call)” has a lot of the crazy space shit that Japanese producers (and Pharrell) love to include in the background of their tracks. Just as how the Neptunes craft the perfect beat that matches a particular artist’s style, NMU’s hard-hitting delivery matches the repetitive beat perfectly, and shows off the crazy potential of japanese lyricism.

By keeping true to hip-hop (w/o the beats, the MCs are nothin!) NMU makes sure that even if you can’t understand their flow, you can at the very least listen to some high-tempo production with some of the craziest loops since the Neptunes.

Speaking of loops, I also copped some Nujabes shit over there, but couldn’t find anything from Fat Jon or Tsutchie (shoutout to Champloo Fans!). Note: I didn’t look TOO hard.

You see, Japan is a crazy place for hip hop gear collectors. Not only vinyl, but shit from all 4 elements have a strong representation in Japan, whether through special limited editions gear, crazy tech, or bumpin producers. There are even services out there where you pay people to peruse through Japan’s crazy used CD/Book/Video stores to look for that vintage recording/print that you just can’t find anywhere else. I don’t even wanna talk about the shoe/streetwear scene over there. BAPE is a Japanese phenom after all.

PS: Looking at these makes me wanna be a sneakerhead. “Anti-Babylon Equipment” Can it get any more “Crazy Engrish Oxymoron” than that!?

Nitro Microphone Underground Air Force 1s