This post is actually written just before Christmas, on the 24th, as a matter of fact. I'm just now posting it, after editing to better define my thoughts. Bear that in mind when reading.
Where would you rather be?
Anywhere, anywhere but here.
When will the time be right?
Anytime but now.
So Geddy Lee sings in Double Agent from Rushs Counterparts album. I can relate. Its not that Id rather be anywhere else, or that the time isnt right, but the song moves my melancholic mood in the right direction Id be horrible company right now.
Christmas has never really been my holiday. This time of year is my favorite that is to say that I love the season but not the holidays. Too many bad memories, too much thinking happens, in directions Id rather it didnt.
That being said, its just as well that Im alone in the house for this holiday. Heather has gone to visit the family in Maryland, with her brother, and Mike and Kaci left for her folks house earlier this afternoon. So Im all alone, and I think I like it better that way. For all intents and purposes, its best if Im left alone in these moods, and to tell you the truth, I like having alone time sometimes. I like having all the lights off in the house, listening to Rush at volumes that probably arent healthy for me, and just wallowing in my self-inflicted, psychosomatic mental illness. I dont have any real rational reason for feeling so low, it just happens, and as much as I realize that its not necessarily healthy, its probably important that I feel this way. I cant be happy all the time, and a balance is due. Karma and all that.
And then, to top off my bad day, the aquarium still leaks And I cant work on it until Monday because of this stupid holiday. I could work on it alone, sure, but I cant get what I need to work on it because even Wal-Mart is closed. God Himself must have come down on the honchos there, for that money making machine to close for a whole day. I bet Hurricane Katrina didnt close Wal-Marts in New Orleans, but God forbid they should sell a gallon of fiberglass or some brushes on Christmas.
At any rate, its a small leak, one that we almost expected, one that should be relatively easy to fix. So Monday, since I have it off, will be the day I spend finishing (hopefully) the aquarium. And by the next weekend, hopefully, well have gravel and plants and fish and all that in it, and can move on to another project.
So, my day has sucked, tomorrow will be spent cleaning the house, with Cradle of Filth most likely blasting out of the stereo gotta play my Christmas music to drown out all the crap. Before I go to bed, though, Im going to write my Best of 05 picks, as I have been meaning to do for weeks. In fact, I think Ill just tack it on here.
THE 5 BEST TUNES OF 2005.
By me.
These are in alphabetical order by band, as I couldnt fathom trying to pick a favorite. Most will recognize these bands, as I dont go searching for obscure indie bands to be cool, and these are the songs that have been mainstays of my playlists since they were released. If you dont agree, Im sorry, go find someone else to pester with your useless opinions, and stop reading this if you dont like what you read.
Nastiness aside, here they be:
Cold Happens All The Time A Different Kind of Pain
This band gets better with every single record, and were on number four now. The truth is, if you need a darker sound, a true feeling that someone out there understands how it feels to be hopeless, Cold is definitely the band for you. There is a message in the music most likely not intentional, but still communicated. Its different, perhaps, for everyone, but we all have days when we feel exactly how these songs make us feel, and thats the key to the best music the best music brings out emotions. Progressively, since their first major-label, self-titled release, Scooter (Ward, vocalist) has grown more and more powerful vocally and lyrically. The change from one album to the next, with the exception of the Cold to 13 Ways transition, has been primarily vocal, and his sense and use of harmony has just continued to blow me away. Lyrically, he sings of a love lost, that hes still in love with. It, apparently, happens all the time, and the way the chorus and bridge are arranged, youd think hes used to it, if not downright happy about it. This, I find, ties the lyrics in with the melody the guitar is laying down perfectly. But I dont give this song justice. None of the instrumental work, by itself, is particularly spectacular, which would normally disqualify this from my Best Of list, but the fact is that this song is something of a gestalt, and can only be looked on as a whole. The rig Matt (Loughran, guitarist) plays through has a very nice-sounding distortion, very well suited to Scooters voice, and compliments the song. Its hopeless and yet you cant help but feel that swelling inside that you get when you realize youre not alone, an empowering song altogether.
Dark New Day Bare Bones 12 Year Silence
What can I say about these guys that hasnt already been said somewhere? Ive been listening to Brett (Hestla, vocalist) since the days of Virgos Merlot, and I own The Devines (his band prior to Virgos/Merlot) cd. His voice is probably one of my favorite of all vocalists, ever, and Dark New Day seems to be challenging him and bringing his voice to new levels. Ive wanted to hear him sing something with more of a bite since I first heard him, and its perfect in this song. But Bretts not the only amazing talent in this supergroup the band is made up of members from several other bands, and the fact that they stepped up their game is reason enough alone, in a year or two of crappy supergroups, to get them on this list. Lets face it, Velvet Revolver and Audioslave both suck. Neither band is a good as the sum of their parts, and I was afraid the of the same crap from Dark New Day But I was pleasantly surprised. The bass line in this particular song is also very much a part of why it was chosen over all the other songs in an album of great songs its dark, melodious, and carries the tune above and beyond what is considered normal for a bass. Its simple, and that makes it gorgeous. Lyrically, the songs talking about moving on, moving forward, bringing everything back to bare bones. And again, the combination of elements in this song is what makes this song great everything fits into the song, as opposed to so much of todays showboat music, or the crap music that the industry pumps out to copy whats popular. This song makes me want to shed my skin, makes me want to leave everything behind and begin anew. Its angry, its satisfying, its what a song composed by several very talented individuals with creative control should be.
DevilDriver Driving Down the Darkness The Fury of Our Makers Hand
DevilDriver is a band that just doesnt know the meaning of ballad. Every song theyve done to date (two albums worth) has been balls-to-the-wall, and every song has been an assault on the sense of hearing. John (Boeklin, drummer) is inventive, fast, and one of the best new drummers Ive heard. I dont normally make a point of listening to the drums exclusively as a bass player, I listen for timing and changes but I have been known to stop what Im doing just to hear how he arranges for the double-bass and uses considerably less cymbal than many, many heavy metal type drummers. Dez (Fafara, vocalist) has such a good screaming voice that it would be a waste for him to actually sing hes so aggressive sounding, so pure in that growl, that it wouldnt hurt for more bands to emulate that sound. The guitar and bass is so tight on this song that its hard to find the defining line, but rather than be turned off by this, Im impressed. While I do feel that perhaps it was mixed a little too slick, the bridge into the semi-solo is so powerful you have to admire the tightness of the group as a whole. I cant wait to get a DVD of a live performance of this band. I dont have a whole lot to say about this song it simply stands out again as one of a whole cd of amazingly powerful and aggressive music.
Mudvayne Happy? Lost and Found
Their fourth release, and another band that just keeps getting better. If you know me, you knew that this band would be on the list at least once. Ryan (Martinie, bassist) is a phenomenal bassist, the best Ive heard since, well, forever. He somehow manages to make the bass line carry the lead guitar and rhythm section responsibilities, doing things that just arent normal or expected, and making it sound easy. I really cant say enough about the skill and power this guy conveys on a single five-string bass. Chad (Grey, vocalist) has a powerful voice, singing and screaming alike, and it translates well over complex subject matter. While at first listen it may sound like hes talking about death, in this particular song, Chad is talking about what it feels like to be alone in yourself, have other people tearing you down inside for their own purposes, and how detrimental it is to your psyche. How it feels to be useless on your own, to seek approval at the cost of your own Self. I can certainly relate. Guitar work is done by Greg Tribbett, and its almost as if the roles are reversed between bass and guitar, but he meshes it so well that people dont even think about it. Matt (McDonough, drummer) is often overlooked, but his drumming provides a very solid, nuanced setting for the creative interplay between guitar and bass. This song was the first release from the album, and I may be biased, but I think of all the great songs on the album, this is the best.
Staind Please Chapter V
Again, anyone who knows me should have expected this band to show here, as well. Aaron (Lewis, vocalist) is such a unique singer that he takes his voice in directions, and scales, not normally used by rock musicians, and very reminiscent of Alice in Chains which is why I vote them my Alice in Chains for Generation Y. This song is a gem that may never get radio play, but its definitely a showcase of the completeness of Stainds music. From the syncopated intro, to the introduction of the bass, laying down an easy dark groove, to the lyrical content of Aarons darkness, its solid from start to finish. Let me just paste a bit of lyric here.
Tell me please,
Who the fuck did you want me to be?
Was it something that I couldn't see?
Never knew this would be so political.
And please, I'm still wearing this miserable skin
And it's starting to tear from within
But it's obvious that doesn't bother you
So please don't keep telling me that it's ok
I don't buy all the shit that you say
And quite honestly I'm fucking sick of it
so please if I cut off this nose from my face
Then I wouldn't feel so out of place
But it still wouldn't be quite enough for you,
so please.
Now, like Cold, you have to realize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and as lyrically powerful as this song is, you have to hear it to understand just how this song is put together, in an angry, sarcastic mood. Again, though definitely a band that has seen far too much radio play, still a band that writes solid, powerful songs. This song is the best example of their talents on the latest release.
So there is a list in here somewhere of my "Honorable Mentions," the songs that have impacted me this year specifically, regardless of age, but it's just not in me to write about it now.
Maybe next time I post.
Where would you rather be?
Anywhere, anywhere but here.
When will the time be right?
Anytime but now.
So Geddy Lee sings in Double Agent from Rushs Counterparts album. I can relate. Its not that Id rather be anywhere else, or that the time isnt right, but the song moves my melancholic mood in the right direction Id be horrible company right now.
Christmas has never really been my holiday. This time of year is my favorite that is to say that I love the season but not the holidays. Too many bad memories, too much thinking happens, in directions Id rather it didnt.
That being said, its just as well that Im alone in the house for this holiday. Heather has gone to visit the family in Maryland, with her brother, and Mike and Kaci left for her folks house earlier this afternoon. So Im all alone, and I think I like it better that way. For all intents and purposes, its best if Im left alone in these moods, and to tell you the truth, I like having alone time sometimes. I like having all the lights off in the house, listening to Rush at volumes that probably arent healthy for me, and just wallowing in my self-inflicted, psychosomatic mental illness. I dont have any real rational reason for feeling so low, it just happens, and as much as I realize that its not necessarily healthy, its probably important that I feel this way. I cant be happy all the time, and a balance is due. Karma and all that.
And then, to top off my bad day, the aquarium still leaks And I cant work on it until Monday because of this stupid holiday. I could work on it alone, sure, but I cant get what I need to work on it because even Wal-Mart is closed. God Himself must have come down on the honchos there, for that money making machine to close for a whole day. I bet Hurricane Katrina didnt close Wal-Marts in New Orleans, but God forbid they should sell a gallon of fiberglass or some brushes on Christmas.
At any rate, its a small leak, one that we almost expected, one that should be relatively easy to fix. So Monday, since I have it off, will be the day I spend finishing (hopefully) the aquarium. And by the next weekend, hopefully, well have gravel and plants and fish and all that in it, and can move on to another project.
So, my day has sucked, tomorrow will be spent cleaning the house, with Cradle of Filth most likely blasting out of the stereo gotta play my Christmas music to drown out all the crap. Before I go to bed, though, Im going to write my Best of 05 picks, as I have been meaning to do for weeks. In fact, I think Ill just tack it on here.
THE 5 BEST TUNES OF 2005.
By me.
These are in alphabetical order by band, as I couldnt fathom trying to pick a favorite. Most will recognize these bands, as I dont go searching for obscure indie bands to be cool, and these are the songs that have been mainstays of my playlists since they were released. If you dont agree, Im sorry, go find someone else to pester with your useless opinions, and stop reading this if you dont like what you read.
Nastiness aside, here they be:
Cold Happens All The Time A Different Kind of Pain
This band gets better with every single record, and were on number four now. The truth is, if you need a darker sound, a true feeling that someone out there understands how it feels to be hopeless, Cold is definitely the band for you. There is a message in the music most likely not intentional, but still communicated. Its different, perhaps, for everyone, but we all have days when we feel exactly how these songs make us feel, and thats the key to the best music the best music brings out emotions. Progressively, since their first major-label, self-titled release, Scooter (Ward, vocalist) has grown more and more powerful vocally and lyrically. The change from one album to the next, with the exception of the Cold to 13 Ways transition, has been primarily vocal, and his sense and use of harmony has just continued to blow me away. Lyrically, he sings of a love lost, that hes still in love with. It, apparently, happens all the time, and the way the chorus and bridge are arranged, youd think hes used to it, if not downright happy about it. This, I find, ties the lyrics in with the melody the guitar is laying down perfectly. But I dont give this song justice. None of the instrumental work, by itself, is particularly spectacular, which would normally disqualify this from my Best Of list, but the fact is that this song is something of a gestalt, and can only be looked on as a whole. The rig Matt (Loughran, guitarist) plays through has a very nice-sounding distortion, very well suited to Scooters voice, and compliments the song. Its hopeless and yet you cant help but feel that swelling inside that you get when you realize youre not alone, an empowering song altogether.
Dark New Day Bare Bones 12 Year Silence
What can I say about these guys that hasnt already been said somewhere? Ive been listening to Brett (Hestla, vocalist) since the days of Virgos Merlot, and I own The Devines (his band prior to Virgos/Merlot) cd. His voice is probably one of my favorite of all vocalists, ever, and Dark New Day seems to be challenging him and bringing his voice to new levels. Ive wanted to hear him sing something with more of a bite since I first heard him, and its perfect in this song. But Bretts not the only amazing talent in this supergroup the band is made up of members from several other bands, and the fact that they stepped up their game is reason enough alone, in a year or two of crappy supergroups, to get them on this list. Lets face it, Velvet Revolver and Audioslave both suck. Neither band is a good as the sum of their parts, and I was afraid the of the same crap from Dark New Day But I was pleasantly surprised. The bass line in this particular song is also very much a part of why it was chosen over all the other songs in an album of great songs its dark, melodious, and carries the tune above and beyond what is considered normal for a bass. Its simple, and that makes it gorgeous. Lyrically, the songs talking about moving on, moving forward, bringing everything back to bare bones. And again, the combination of elements in this song is what makes this song great everything fits into the song, as opposed to so much of todays showboat music, or the crap music that the industry pumps out to copy whats popular. This song makes me want to shed my skin, makes me want to leave everything behind and begin anew. Its angry, its satisfying, its what a song composed by several very talented individuals with creative control should be.
DevilDriver Driving Down the Darkness The Fury of Our Makers Hand
DevilDriver is a band that just doesnt know the meaning of ballad. Every song theyve done to date (two albums worth) has been balls-to-the-wall, and every song has been an assault on the sense of hearing. John (Boeklin, drummer) is inventive, fast, and one of the best new drummers Ive heard. I dont normally make a point of listening to the drums exclusively as a bass player, I listen for timing and changes but I have been known to stop what Im doing just to hear how he arranges for the double-bass and uses considerably less cymbal than many, many heavy metal type drummers. Dez (Fafara, vocalist) has such a good screaming voice that it would be a waste for him to actually sing hes so aggressive sounding, so pure in that growl, that it wouldnt hurt for more bands to emulate that sound. The guitar and bass is so tight on this song that its hard to find the defining line, but rather than be turned off by this, Im impressed. While I do feel that perhaps it was mixed a little too slick, the bridge into the semi-solo is so powerful you have to admire the tightness of the group as a whole. I cant wait to get a DVD of a live performance of this band. I dont have a whole lot to say about this song it simply stands out again as one of a whole cd of amazingly powerful and aggressive music.
Mudvayne Happy? Lost and Found
Their fourth release, and another band that just keeps getting better. If you know me, you knew that this band would be on the list at least once. Ryan (Martinie, bassist) is a phenomenal bassist, the best Ive heard since, well, forever. He somehow manages to make the bass line carry the lead guitar and rhythm section responsibilities, doing things that just arent normal or expected, and making it sound easy. I really cant say enough about the skill and power this guy conveys on a single five-string bass. Chad (Grey, vocalist) has a powerful voice, singing and screaming alike, and it translates well over complex subject matter. While at first listen it may sound like hes talking about death, in this particular song, Chad is talking about what it feels like to be alone in yourself, have other people tearing you down inside for their own purposes, and how detrimental it is to your psyche. How it feels to be useless on your own, to seek approval at the cost of your own Self. I can certainly relate. Guitar work is done by Greg Tribbett, and its almost as if the roles are reversed between bass and guitar, but he meshes it so well that people dont even think about it. Matt (McDonough, drummer) is often overlooked, but his drumming provides a very solid, nuanced setting for the creative interplay between guitar and bass. This song was the first release from the album, and I may be biased, but I think of all the great songs on the album, this is the best.
Staind Please Chapter V
Again, anyone who knows me should have expected this band to show here, as well. Aaron (Lewis, vocalist) is such a unique singer that he takes his voice in directions, and scales, not normally used by rock musicians, and very reminiscent of Alice in Chains which is why I vote them my Alice in Chains for Generation Y. This song is a gem that may never get radio play, but its definitely a showcase of the completeness of Stainds music. From the syncopated intro, to the introduction of the bass, laying down an easy dark groove, to the lyrical content of Aarons darkness, its solid from start to finish. Let me just paste a bit of lyric here.
Tell me please,
Who the fuck did you want me to be?
Was it something that I couldn't see?
Never knew this would be so political.
And please, I'm still wearing this miserable skin
And it's starting to tear from within
But it's obvious that doesn't bother you
So please don't keep telling me that it's ok
I don't buy all the shit that you say
And quite honestly I'm fucking sick of it
so please if I cut off this nose from my face
Then I wouldn't feel so out of place
But it still wouldn't be quite enough for you,
so please.
Now, like Cold, you have to realize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and as lyrically powerful as this song is, you have to hear it to understand just how this song is put together, in an angry, sarcastic mood. Again, though definitely a band that has seen far too much radio play, still a band that writes solid, powerful songs. This song is the best example of their talents on the latest release.
So there is a list in here somewhere of my "Honorable Mentions," the songs that have impacted me this year specifically, regardless of age, but it's just not in me to write about it now.
Maybe next time I post.
neakylikeaninja:
