The Lowdown on the Death Cab Concert

Um...Ben Again
Originally uploaded by devpd.

Alright, I know everyone's been waiting for me to talk about the Death Cab for Cutie concert I recently attended, and I'm sorry for making you guys wait but I've been busy writing papers and making movies and whatnot.

I am happy to say that the concert photos are now available for your viewing pleasure!

The show itself was very good. As you can see, we got pretty close to Ben Gibbard and his crew. They played a good set, ending with an excellent rendition of "Transatlanticism." The opening band, Stars, was really good, too, and I'll probably end up purchasing their new album when I've lifted my personal ban on buying music.

PLEASE comment on the photos, lemme know what you think! Oh, and also please sign my Frappr map!! Seriously, I will love you forever if you do this for me! Thanks!

Reworking of Snapped now available for download!

The film production team I am in, "Two Guys, Two Girls, and a Camera," received an A for our last class project, Snapped.

We were then faced the task of creating a parallel action to the film, which we accomplished by adding new scenes, re-editing old scenes, and by adding a new ending.

You can view the new version of Snapped on my short films page.

Death Cab for Cutie tomorrow night!

Man, I can't wait for this biology midterm to be over with! Mainly 'cause once it is, I know that I have the Death Cab for Cutie concert to look forward to. Of course, I will be accompanied by The Usual Suspects (i.e. Merri, Nathan, and Caroline) and, if I'm not mistaken, Catherine from Clever Titles will be there as well! Catherine, if you'd like to hook up with us, I'll be the dorky guy in the black Postal Service t-shirt. Yea, that's right. I already planned out what I'm going to wear.

I also forgot to mention this a while back, but I added a bunch of new photos to my Flickr account. Look 'em over, leave comments, especially check out the photos of chalk art, since it rained recently and all of them have most likely vanished.

Alright, gotta go. But first...FRAPPR MAP!!

Sorry, just had to remind everyone.

Busy, busy, busy!!

Sorry I haven't been updating often. My schedule this week is INSANE!! Like, as soon as this post is done, I have to run around campus getting all sorts of crap taken care of.

I did find the time to add Jacksonville City Nights by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals to my Top 10 of 2005 (So Far) list.

And I also discovered another really funny online comic. It's called Beaver and Steve and it's about a lizard (or dinosaur?) named Steve and a beaver named...um...Beaver.

Alright, gotta go! Oh, but before I do, EVERYONE SIGN MY FRAPPR MAP! NOW!



...please?

Map It Out; Remixed Movie Trailers

As of now, the average daily readership for this blog is 15 people, which came as a real shock to me. I mean, seriously, FIFTEEN?! I thought for sure I was the only one who actually read my blog.

So, in the interest of getting to know my readers, I have just taken the liberty of adding a Frappr! map to this blog. Please add your name, zip code, and a few words (if you'd like) so we can all learn of the far-flung places this blog is being viewed in!

In related news, the blog over at My Mean Magpie has posted some live Sufjan Stevens tracks, vintage 2001. Get 'em while there hot!

Also, I'm sure this one's been blogged to death, but I finally got around to seeing the remixed Shining trailer and it's f*cking hilarious! See for yourself. Also, here's West Side Story reimagined as a horror flick. And, finally, Cabin Fever as teenage drama.

Spoon Ruins Best Song With Crappy Video

So, a few months ago, I was singing the praises of Spoon's newest album Gimme Fiction and especially, the second track off it, "The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine." Well, Catbirdseat just pointed me in the direction of their new video for it and, in my humble opinion, it doesn't do the song justice at all. To tell you the truth, I have been very unimpressed with all of Spoon's videos. None really capture the spirit of the songs they're supposed to promote. I guess I'm a stickler on these things 'cause I've been pampered on videos by true visionaries like Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry.

Speaking of horrid videos, what the f*ck's with Green Day? "Wake Me Up When September Ends" is a truly great song, which Green Day knows or they wouldn't have sequenced it on the album the way they did (it doesn't segue into any other songs, it comes right before the final medley "Homecoming"). So why does the video suck horribly?? Certainly, it's cinematic, which would've been a good idea if the two actors they had portray the soldier and the girlfriend weren't such bad actors!! Seriously, they should've had a contest where fans submitted video ideas. I'm sure any one of them could've come up with something better.

Previously: I talk about cool videos by The White Stripes, Mint Royale, The Decemberists, Daft Punk, and The Chemical Brothers.

Update: So, according to Catbirdseat, the Spoon video's not an official one. Good. Hopefully, theirs will be better.

A History of Violence

This is the first time I had ever seen a film by David Cronenberg and, I must say, if this is his most accessible film, I'd hate to see his more experimental films. That's not to say I didn't like the film; I loved it. A History of Violence takes that favorite Hollywood standby, the violent crime thriller, and twists it in so many different directions, there really is no way to classify it. Viggo Mortensen gives a performance that's worthy of an Oscar nomination, but will probably be overlooked because there's no one specific scene that stands out (which is practically a requirement nowadays).

I'll spare you the details about the plot because, honestly, the less you know, the better. There is not one moment in the film where I was able to predict what would happen next. And when it started getting to the point where I thought I would be able to guess the next scene, the movie ended.

The film works on so many different levels that it'll have you and everyone you take to see it talking until next week. When does violence become "excessive"? Does a peaceful end justify the violent means? At what point does violence become a viable option for resolving conflict? Does it ever? See A History of Violence and let Cronenberg give you his two cents.

New short film added!

The group I'm in for Intro to Film Production just finished work on a short entitled "Snapped," which you can now download off my short films page. Hope you enjoy it!! Post a comment and let me know what you think!

My October Resolution

Have you ever had one of those moments where you suddenly realize you have no money? I don't mean when you become gradually aware that you are slowly losing money. I mean you believe for a while that your monetary situation is quite decent...and then, all of a sudden, you check your bank statement online and discover that you only have about forty-five dollars in your account!

Well, this was the blow I was dealt earlier this week, and what shocked me the most was that I had just been paid the previous Friday. I couldn't understand how my paycheck could suddenly depreciate, just like that. So, in the interest of retaining my economical sanity, I have vowed to stop purchasing CDs and DVDs for the remainder of the month.

That's right. No new music or movies for a month (or the rest of the month, anyway). Can Devin possibly hold out that long? Will he crack under the stress of having to listen to music he's already heard and movies he's already seen? Horror upon horrors!

A Very White Stripes Blog Entry

I'm sure there's already been a million posts on it, but you can see the White Stripes' video for "My Doorbell" here. As they get bigger and bigger, their videos get more and more stylized and expensive-looking. All I got to say is BRING BACK MICHEL GONDRY!! He directed three of their videos, two of which are probably the best music videos I have ever seen (the famous Lego video "Fell in Love With a Girl" and the mind-blowing "The Hardest Button to Button").

In other White Stripes-related news, their next single will be "The Denial Twist," probably my favorite track of their latest LP, Get Behind Me Satan and they are also scheduled to perform a new song on Comedy Central's The Daily Show on December 1st, so start programming those VCRs!

The above photo was taken from LightningField.com.

Fire destroys Wallace and Gromit history

Man, this warehouse fire really sucks. Apparently, all the sets and props from the first three "Wallace & Gromit" shorts, Chicken Run, and the "Creature Comforts" series have been burned down, single-handedly wiping out a legacy of artifacts from Aardman Animation library. Luckily, the sets and props from The Curse of the Were-Rabbit weren't in that warehouse, but it is still a great loss for Nick Park and Aardman. And things were going so well.

Back in action!

Alright, the music posts have ended, so...on with the movie posts!

I'm not usually one to make "critic blurbs" about new movies, but here's one I simply cannot resist. Here goes. (ahem!)

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is, hands down, the funniest motion picture of the year.

There, I've said it. Sure, I might be a little bias (I have been, after all, an avid fan of the comedy duo since Day 1), but I honestly believe that even the most grim movie patron will get a kick out of this film. Nick Park has truly created something very special, a cartoon duo that rivals the greats, even Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. And the film itself is a delight. Wonderful story, hilarious characters, and some of the most amazing stop-motion effects since...um...well, since Corpse Bride.

The New York Times has been kind enough to offer up a really cool slideshow of film stills and behind-the-scenes photos. As if that weren't enough, there's additional commentary provided by creator Nick Park.

Do yourself a big favor and see The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Trust me; this one is timeless.

I probably need music rehab, but I can't afford it 'cause of all the music I'm buying.

So for all you boys and girls that haven't been keeping tabs at home, here is all the music I have purchased over the past two weeks:

• Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Jacksonville City Nights
  
• Alpha, Stargazing
  
• Björk, Post (I found it used for five bucks; couldn't resist!)
  
• Franz Ferdinand, You Could Have It So Much Better
  
• The Go! Team, Thunder, Lightning, Strike
  
• Ted Leo + The Pharmacists, Shake the Sheets
  
• Michael Holt/Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Someone Still Loves You Michael Holt: A Scrapbook for You
  

And as if that wasn't enough, I went and downloaded a couple mixtapes:

• Out of Five: Covers That Eclipsed the Originals
  The people on this site create ten-track mixtapes every Monday based around a different theme. This particular mixtape is very cool, especially because the tracks of Al Green and Stevie Wonder covering the Beatles are a couple of the best cover songs I have ever heard!
  
  
• Palindrome: A Yewknee Mix
  Michael over at Yewknee made this really cool mix where he took eleven cover songs and added the eleven original versions, but in reverse order, creating an "audible palindrome." While there is a bit of a problem with the volume fluctuating from song to song, the selection is great (especially the TMBG cover by Steve Burns and the Björk cover by Death Cab) and the cover art is beautiful.

MP3s from Holt/Yelstin Release

Here's a few MP3s of some of the songs from the new release by Michael Holt and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, which is slowly becoming one of my favorite releases of 2005.

Michael Holt, "Private Hearts"
Michael Holt, "Courtyard" (my favorite track so far)
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, "Lower the Gas Prices, Howard Johnson"

Previously: I show off my copy of the album.

AMG on The Go! Team

The All Music Guide just posted a glowing review of the new album by The Go! Team. I must say that I've never seen such praise distributed by the AMG. (I mean, they call Thunder, Lightning, Strike "the kind of record that makes you glad to be alive.") Still, not even all those nice words could persuade them to give the album a 5-star rating. Those guys are awfully stingy when it comes to giving out The Big Five.

The Insane Monday Music Post

A Scrapbook for Me
Originally uploaded by devpd.

Lots of stuff to talk about. First off, I just received the first release from Catbird Records, the indie label created by Ryan C., the creator of the Catbirdseat blog. The release is entitled Someone Still Loves You Michael Holt: A Scrapbook for You and it's a collaborative EP between Michael Holt and one of my new fav bands, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. While the music is great, what blew me away was the packaging. The CD comes in a hand-made, hand-bound scrapbook and each of the 250 copies has a unique, hand-painted cover! Definitely the coolest CD package I've ever seen, even cooler than Lemon Jelly's second album.

Also, Stereogum just posted a leaked track from The Strokes' new album and, even though nearly all of the comments are panning it, I think it's one of their best songs. At first listen, it almost doesn't sound like them. The most notable difference is that lead singer Julian Casablancas has dropped the fuzzy old-timey-radio vocal effect, probably at the request of their new producer, David Kahne.

And, finally, new releases by Franz Ferdinand and The Go! Team drop tomorrow! I still have $20 credit from selling a bunch of CDs at this really nice music store downtown, so I'll use that to get those new albums.

Well, I'm off to work. Have a great week, everyone!

Whee! New Blog Entry

Nate and Caroline in Midair
Originally uploaded by devpd.

Man, time flies when you're having fun slaving your ass off at a certain unnamed grocery store's meat department. I've been really busy these past few days and haven't had much time to post anything. I do, however, have some cool stuff to mention to you guys:

The new Catbirdseat mix is up and I'm jamming out to it right now. For those who don't know, the Catbirdseat mix is where I get most of the new indie music I listen to. I have them to thank for introducing me to Devin Davis, Robbers on High Street, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.

I bought a couple new CDs this week: Jacksonville City Nights by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, and Shake the Sheets by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Both are really good, though if the thought of owning a "country" album makes you shake in your shoes, you probably ought to skip the Ryan Adams album. Don't worry about Ted Leo, though. That guy rocks.

Merri and I went to go see Flightplan and we really liked it. While I do understand the comparisons between this film and Panic Room, this movie really owes more to Hitchcock films like The Lady Vanishes and The Man Who Knew Too Much. Oh, and PLEASE don't read anything about the airline stewardesses who are calling for the boycott of the movie. What those idiots in the media don't realize is that they are GIVING AWAY THE ENDING by reporting on this!!

And, finally, I've added a handful of new photos to my Flickr page, including the photo above, of Nathan and Caroline practicing the Will Farrell jump from Anchorman.

Which reminds me, Bewitched was the free movie this week on campus, so I went to see it and, I must say, it was very entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised.

Alright, that oughta make up for the lack of posts around here! Later!