Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Red All Over

It’s time, it’s time, for me to blow ya mind.  I just did.  Because of stupidity, not because of anything profound.  So it’s been…what…five days since we last talked?  Well, I love it here.  I’m finally not feeling like a tourist anymore.  Consequently, I get annoyed with them.  Look at me getting all elitist on you. 

 

Here’s what’s not elitist: me being excited about Weezer’s colorful Red Album coming out today.  I thought it wasn’t coming out for another three weeks.  Imagine my face when I walked into Virgin in Times Square (three stories, by the way) and there it is with it’s Village-People inspired cover staring at me.  Is it a coincidence Spin managed to do a cover story on both Weezer and the Village People this month?  I’m going with no.  As I write all this, I’m listening to it so if I have thought about what I’m hearing on the album, I’ll italicize it.  Second track is bizarre.  Sounds like Rivers busted out his Queen collection.

 

I’ve started at Bank Robber and I love it.  Absolutely love it.  I’m now pretty much familiar with the entire roster of bands they’ve licensed.  Check out their site here.  Look at all those names.  There’s at least five you know.  If you recognize less, your taste needs some improvement.  I’ve already gotten so much music from them.  I don’t want to say what I’ve gotten that hasn’t come out yet because that might get me in trouble.  I now completely understand how stuff gets leaked.  For instance, I got one band that has a good buzz whose album doesn’t come out for another two months.  But I’ve just been casually handed copies of She & Him (not bad, Alex), Bon Iver, and The Donkeys just because Jennifer thinks I’ll like them.  Cool.  “Pork & Beans.”  I like this song.  Especially the tongue-in-cheek Timbaland stabs.

 

It’s been a blast just getting around the city.  I keep expecting someone to call me a poser when I talk about the subway or the streets or a place in the city.  “He’s a phony!  A big fat phony!”  Oh no, this sounds Fergie-ish.  Good, it turned around.  Whoa, pop culture reference overload.  It’s all about Rivers’ favorite songs.  It’s fun.  I pretty much travel the length of Manhattan everyday.  I love walking too.  I gotta make a playlist to fit the city.  There’s some definite stuff that spices it up.  Kanye really fits but then so does Nick Drake.  Heck, even Taking Back Sunday works.  Man, this does not sound like Weezer.  It’s so polished.  But I like it otherwise.  Ugh, I’m distracted.

 

I got to go out to Brooklyn to hang out with Jessika and Ashley, whose name I said was Lauren last post.  I apologize a thousand times, but then again, it’s apparently too late to apologize.  It’s really nifty out there.  Very arty and fun.  We checked out this giant telescope that, according to the story, is connected through a tunnel under the Atlantic.  That’s a load, you can totally tell it’s a camera, but it was cool nonetheless.  (Check out the picture I posted if it worked.)  They give you a dry-erase board to write a message.  Of course, I wouldn’t be Chase if I somehow didn’t bring LOST into this (incredible finale, by the way).  I wrote the numbers on my dry-erase board.  I held it up and suddenly on the other side in London, an older man who was with his wife got fidgety.  They were obviously American tourists and were watching through the scope from outside the line behind a rope.  The man was pointing at me and showing his wife and trying to hop the line I assume to respond to my nerdiness.  I thought it very cool.  And geeky.  Wow, the chord progression from “Dream Police.”  Way to go, guys.  It’s not Rivers singing the verses.  Quick wiki…it’s Bell, the guitarist.  Jessika, Ashley, and I proceeded to Eternal Sushine of the Spotless Mind (no, that’s not a Weezer comment).  What a trip that film is.  I highly recommend it.  I don’t know why I hadn’t seen it and I don’t know why you haven’t either. 

 

Man, there are some heavy 4/4 beats on this album.  So I think that’s about it.  I’ll keep you up to date on some of the great tunes that I’m hearing at Bank Robber.  Check out Ra Ra Riot.  Their debut is coming out in August and it is totally not the album I reference above *wink*wink*.  It’s some good stuff from Barsuk.  I think you can grab their self-titled EP on iTunes right now…and…yes you can.  Overall, I give it a six out of ten.  It’s OK but will we ever see another Pinkerton or Blue Album?  I doubt that more and more with each release.

 

Please comment, if you will.  Til next time, baby birds. 

 

-Chase

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm going to get that Weezer album from you when we get back to school. I forgot to get the Lost soundtrack too before we left. In return, you may copy the new Disturbed album I'm buying.

Jaci Wisot said...

You don't suck.

Anonymous said...

YOU'RE A BIG PHAT PHONY!! ha im so jealous :)

Jessika Doyel said...

unreal chase.
my snob-indie-underground-music-listening sister would poop all over your face.
or something. i just checked out the site that you linked--seriously?
iron&wine/bon iver/bowerbirds/m.ward/mates of state/death cab/chris garneau--unfreaking real. if you get to meet them you're going to hook me up or i'll never cook grilled cheese for you again.