Trollheart

I would like to award this journal the Lazarus 2012 Award For Unexpected Resurrection! TWO YEARS later! Man, that's some lunch hour!

Good to have ya back! Never say die...

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Antonio

hahahaha yeah thanks for reminding me

it feels good to be back though. so yeah, thanks.

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Been making some new music lately, check it out

My MB Journal-I talk about music and stuff!

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Antonio

Good morning everyone (or good afternoon/evening depending on when you're reading this). As I write this journal post, it's 8:30 am in my neck of the woods, which is funny because I didn't even go to bed until 4:30 last night (4 hours of sleep is the new cool, ladies and gentlemen). Usually, in my summer state I don't really get up until about eleven o'clock (more like 2:30), but today is different, special even. You see....

I've been completely slacking off on homework for my summer class and it's due tomorrow.....hehehe.

So yeah, what better music to have for the big rush than some good, high energy pop punk?

Well there's metal, hard rock, drum 'n' bass, hot jazz, swing and the little-know genre of thrash-samba, but that's not the point. This is an album that I wanted to review for a while and I'm gonna do it now, to help me get into the writing mood for the more serious paper stuff that I'll inevitably have to do.

The Story So Far is a pop punk band from Walnut Creek, California. With a name from a New Found Glory song, these guys are an unabashed pop-punk band, with alot of the best elements of the genre; there's choruses and song elements that immediately grab you, but the way that they are done don't feel formulaic or forced; the composition manages to be tight and at the same time interesting and complex, and the songs themselves are uplifting as well as genuine about what they are and what they want you to feel.

Now, when you press play, you should get a good feel as to whether you would like this album or not with the first song, States and Minds, with a very familiar sounding guitar tone for the genre and the singer just belting out the lyrics with tons of emotion to spare. While it is one of my favorites on here and the song that got me into the band(I found this near the end of a Gmod video, Team Fabulous 2, that I liked),The only negative I have to give it is that at 53 seconds it feels all too brief. The ending chord then starts off the next song, Roam which further exemplifies the singer's emotion and singing ability with a riff to ride through the whole thing and a nice break in the middle. What I also love about this song(and the rest of the album) is the dual harmonies with the backup lending a distinctly different voice but equal ability. After this, Quicksand injects more energy with some hardworking drums that jump into a really uplifting chorus. The rest of the song has some cool melodies as well, but that was the part that I found the most awesome.

Swords and Pens starts off with a pounding riff that bursts into some spastic drums and once again the chorus delivers by being instantly pleasing but distinct as well as some multiple harmonies that call for repeat listening. This is a song that just wants to get up and feel the music and I want to do just that. The song then fades out into High Regard, which brings more of the guitars to the forefront with the vocals. This isn't the most dynamic song on here, but the vocals help to keep it afloat with alot of different melodies stuffed into one song, showing just how much creativity can be put into a melody. Still, it doesn't grab you as much as previous songs. Daughters is also a song that helps to show how into it the singer is, as he's practically screaming with earnesty. At first this seems like something that may not grab you like High Regard, but the vocals and the guitars can keep you interested. Afterwards, Mt. Diablo takes you with intro drums, and just how unified the music and the singing can be. Stinging with anger in the lyrics, it still manages to keep you full of energy and good feeling throughout. The chorus isn't as strong this time around, but other vocal melodies do much to work best together.

Four Years breaks in and for the first time the instrumentation takes center stage, but that doesn't mean the vocals are slacking, as more dual harmonies are present here than any other song on the album, and it works. Next up is my favorite song on the album and a song that I just have to listen to at least once a day now, Rally Cap. If I had to say why I love this song, I would say that it's just great as a whole. The vocal melodies, while not as numerous as previous songs, are all great and immediately stick with you. The dual harmonies work well with this and highlight just how awesome the melodies are, and while I'm not big on them usually, the lyrics here are something that grab me and work so well. The composition and instrumentation keeps you in it and catches you by surprise, especially with the drums which really charge through this. Hell, I just put it on repeat for the third time now, so that should tell you something. Placeholder follows up as an acoustic number and shows how these guys even have the energy on an acoustic track, with the singer putting out barrels of emotion and the drums and guitars going crazy in the background. Definitely a surprise, but not something that's jarring. Closure is the song at the end and is more of the same that you've heard throughout the album, which is fine by me, but I can see how it might be kind of meh for other people. Still, it goes by quickly and doesn't overstay it's welcome.

Best Songs- States and Minds, Roam, Quicksand, Four Years, Rally Cap, Placeholder
Worst Songs- High Regard, Daughters, Mt. Diablo

What I like the most about this album is the amount of energy and emotion that comes at you. It's an album that you would have to really get into, blasting it in your car at 11 at night while jumping around and singing every word. This is the kind of energy that being at a local show where the band can just stop singing and the audience could recite whole songs from memory. That being said, if you're not a fan of pop punk then this is won't change your mind or convert you, but if you love bands like New Found Glory and like your music equal parts catchy but rocking, then this is for you.

To make long things short(heh heh) I'm going to give this a 7 out of 10. If you asked me personally what i feel it is I would say a solid 8, but I know that this is more for someone with a specific taste for this type of music.

But yeah, here's some songs, and if you like what you hear, there's plenty more where that came from.

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Antonio

Hey everyone, just popping in to let you know that no, I'm not dead. I've been pretty busy for the last few months due to work and a couple of changes with my life, but here's an album review to chomp on.

For those not in the know, Big K.R.I.T.(or King Remembered In Time) is a rapper and producer from Mississippi who released his first mixtape, Krit Wuz Here back in 2010. I first heard his music on the critically acclaimed Return of 4Eva, and the main thing that makes him standout as opposed to many other mixtape rappers is that his work is almost entirely self produced, both rapping and production (and even singing). Along with that is how versatile of a rapper he is; being able to spit verses on money and hoes and still be able to talk about racial issues, problems with relationships and the state of Hip Hop and the rap game today.

He's someone who really puts his own self into his work, not some rapper who tries to personify a fake lifestyle or belief system in order to sell records. Yes, he loves nice cars and beautiful women, but at the same time he is one to tell you of his struggle making a name for himself and how connected to his southern roots he is. He is who he is.

This is another one of his free mixtapes, and the whole of it gives you just that. It has a very relaxed, laid back vibe that harkens back to Southern hip hop acts a la OutKast and Goodie Mob, but at the same time works in such a whole. What really impresses me is Krit's lush production, which has clearly grown in quality from Krit Wuz Here and Return of 4Eva, and how it bounces off of his smooth lyricism and tight rhymes. Tracks like Boobie Miles, 4EvaNaDay Theme, Country Rap Tunes, Me And My Old School and the ender Alarm have those type of multi-layered and soulful beats that blow you away on first listen and wash over you upon repeat, giving you such an impression as to where you don't know what part is sampled and what part is originally produced. Krit backs this up with some nimble lyricism that make you think as well as sit back and just appreciate it.

At this point in listening to him (my third mixtape from him), I can finally see Krit starting to break out of the shadow of those aforementioned bands and instead starting to be much more introspective and personal with his music. Songs like Yesterday, Down Out, and Handwriting show how good of a descriptive storyteller he is, with him talking about people close to him that have passed, his struggle to break out in hip hop as well as him before he got big, where he was worrying about keeping the lights on in his house. Tracks like Package Store and 1986 have Krit giving his view on the outside world, where he both laments the more downtrodden of us all while at the same time telling people to be proud of where they came from. Even on songs like Red Eye, Temptation and Insomnia indirectly shows his weakness towards the fairer sex that some rappers may not readily admit to as well as him saying that no, he isn't perfect and he has his own problems to work through.

Not everything is perfect in Kritland though, as some tracks, like Wake Up and Sky Club fall flat when compared to the rest of the album, in both production and lyrical content, and far too often you hear him falling back on the old money, cars, women template.

Overall though, this isn't just an album that gives you wonderful beats to sink your teeth into, but also some food for thought and slick rhymes that show you just how serious of an artist Krit is. In the end, even including the superficial elements, this is Big K.R.I.T. at his most personal, and that's something that I can certainly get behind.

8/10

Best Songs-Boobie Miles, 4EvaNaDay Theme, Country Rap Tunes, Down Out, Package Store, Handwriting
Worst Songs-Wake Up, Sky Club, Temptation

Here's some of the tracks to check out

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Antonio

I was watching the video diaries by the various artists who worked on the recent Random Access Memories album with Daft Punk and one part really got me. It was in the Nile Rodgers interview, and if you don't know, Nile is responsible for one of the most influential and recognizable guitar styles in music, specifically that of disco and dance music. Chances are you've heard his handiwork in various different places.

Anyway, he was asked by the interviewer if he could play his guitar part from this song I'm showing you right now, and as he was playing and listening to the song with his headphones, he got this big smile on his face and afterwards remarked that he forgot how cool the groove was.

That's what this song is and that's why I love it. There's just this infectious groove that anchors the track, and the way that the guitar melody travels and keeps it all going is just fantastic. It's honestly one of my favorite guitar riffs now. I really enjoy Pharell's voice here and I think the fact that he really sticks to a strict melody helps the groove remain the main focus. Daft Punk aren't slouches either, as they provide a really awesome vocoder section, with my favorite part at around 3:02 where you just hear "EVERYBODY ON THE FLO-OOOOOR" over and over again.

I'd be listening to this while I was out and about and I would just start strutting without thinking about it. No wonder I keep getting weird looks when I'm heading to work or walking the dog!

Hell, I wouldn't mind dancing like the people in the video if it wasn't for some weird looks I'd get, haha.

But seriously, this song was just made for moving, and if don't find yourself at least bobbing your head then you have no soul.

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Antonio

If it's one thing that drives me up the wall, it's people who's only excuse for not liking an artist's work is "oh that guy's an asshole" or some other variation of that. I mean, if it's something like this:




Then fine, I understand that not everything has to be your cup of tea and even some music can be like poison to you. But THIS...


Then that's where I just look at you like you're an idiot.

Now I'm specifically talking about music here. I know rap and hip hop is a special case as lyrics(especially more personal rapper) can paint a picture in your head of who's doing the rapping, but I'm using Kanye as an example because he always seems to be a lightning rod for these types of discussions.

But I digress. Most of the time when I hear something like this it's usually someone complaining that an artist isn't "nice" or they're doing something or acting a way that you don't necessarily agree with. To that I would say: Whoever said you had to be NICE to be an artist? Seriously? And to be perfectly honest whether or not someone is likeable is completely subjective. I mean, what constitutes as an "asshole" for one person could be the opposite for someone else, and at the end of the day there's always going to be someone out there who we absolutely hate regardless.

I mean, let's take a look at an example from another medium. How about Alfred Hitchcock? This is a guy who's probably one of the greatest film directors whose ever lived, I think we can say that just by looking at his influence on the art form, even if you don't personally like his work. Well did you know, old Alfred was a massive control freak and borderline sexual predator at points? Just check out this interview with one of the actors he's worked with.

Even with such heinous behavior, does that make Rear Window, The Birds, Psycho, and so many more of his films not great works of art? In my opinion, no, because even for how fucked up someone can be in their personal life, they can still be capable of making great art and work that can be highly influential. Hell, look at someone like Walt Disney, who was a well known anti-Semite and greatly opposed unions and worker's rights, but I dare you to honestly say that Disney isn't one of if not the most important figures in the history and development of animation. Hell, I'll give you a more recent example in the gaming world. Phil Fish, creator of indie game FEZ went under some fire after he made some statements bashing PC gaming and criticizing Japanese developers, as well as a few other more colorful statements. Tons of people have shot back and harshly criticized and belittled his game as a result.

Now, I adored FEZ, it was one of my favorite games in the last year, and that last thing I think about when playing it is how the creator said some stuff that sounded mean.

I guess what I'm saying here is that you can appreciate the art without appreciating the artist.

I'm not saying that you can't have an opinion that's contrary to what the majority has on a piece of music either, but it's such a fucking cop-out to state that the only reason you can't stand a piece of art is because you don't like the person attached to it. It's like hating a restaurant's food because you heard that the chef insults people in the kitchen.

Well here's a news flash: An artist doesn't HAVE to appeal to your specific tastes in people, you're most likely never going to meet the person, and even if you do it will most likely be in a scenario where you won't really see them fully as a person, with all their kindness and anger and hope and doubts rolled into one. Chances are, someone you think is complete jerk can end up being someone you like to talk to or have alot in common with.

The other thing is also that a number of artists can be very eccentric or really turned up versions of certain personality quirks, some more abrasive than others. The truth is that sometimes a person's vision isn't always understood by the people around them, and as a result they're either ostracized from regular society for being too out there or really try to push their work to it's limit, even if it's at the cost of some personal relationships. I'm not gonna say that every douchebag out there is fucking Da Vinci, but there's tons of stories of great musicians, writers and film makers sacrificing everything for their art and alienating everyone they've ever known to see their vision come true, and when someone starts up about how they don't like an artist's personality and therefore don't like their art, they're missing the point of the artwork. That and the person is literally closing their mind to something they may actually enjoy in the end.

If you ask me, stuff like that comes from how some people are brought up believing that if you are a good person that you will automatically be rewarded in the end, and that if someone is unpleasant or a jerk, that they'll get their comeuppance at some point. Some people will see an artist being a dickwad and think they are the villain in the story and that they shouldn't get any accolades for their work no matter how good it is. The truth of it is that while being a good person can help in certain avenues of life, in this world what really matters is how hard/well you work and how lucky you can be.

Do Fortune 500 companies promote people based on how many old ladies they helped across the street? Hell no, they base it on how well that person does their JOB. You can try and say that virtue will always be rewarded in this world, but who are the guys that are the most financially successful and secure, stockbrokers or volunteer workers? I know that sounds cynical, but alot of what gets you noticed in most fields IS your forwardness and ability to do great at what you do, and as sad as it is to say acts of kindness aren't always acknowledged or rewarded.

If your success in the world was based on how nice you were to people, then EVERYONE would be doing it. Anyone can be nice if they think they'll be rewarded for it later, just look at self proclaimed "Nice Guys" who will act absolutely darling and shower who they're attracted to with sweet words and compliments, then get mad when they're "good actions" aren't automatically rewarded by getting said prize in the form of the person they're attracted to.

I'm not saying you should be a complete jerk to get what you want, but thinking someone shouldn't have the success they have because they don't seem like a good person when said person worked hard for what they got and/or was great at what they did is just asinine.

Well I better wrap this up. I guess this was less about music and more about art and life in general, but it's just something that's one of my biggest pet peeves to hear and I just wanted to vent. I know not everyone will agree with me on this, and I'm definitely open for discussion, but at the end of the day this is my personal opinion, so if you don't agree with it then I understand.

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Antonio

So yeah, I just got back from Pacific Rim, and one thing I didn't really expect was how much I'd like the main theme in the film.

It's BIG, LOUD, and IN YOUR FACE, and it represents this movie perfectly. It kicks you into gear and by god hearing it blaring in IMAX was one of the best parts of the whole movie. I really enjoy the rocking guitar intermixed with the massive string sections and man when that low "BUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM" of those horns comes in, it just makes my hair stand on end.

Don't go into this expecting a mindblowing story as it's pretty clear cut from what you see in the trailer, but if the idea of giant fighting robots suplexing Godzilla-like monsters and using boats as F**KING SWORDS incites you then you OWE IT TO YOURSELF to see this film.



In IMAX.



And 3D.



Hell Yeah.

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Antonio

Can you tell I'm on a pop-punk kick yet? Can ya?? Well, i wanted to keep it going with what I feel is one of the best songs in the genre. New Found Glory is one of the quintessential bands that combines awesome and cohesive instruments with awesome, pop melodies and singing. Forget My Name is just that and it's a song that I can't get tired of. With a beginning lyric like "Tell all my friends I'm dead", how can you go wrong?

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Antonio

Hey y'all wanted to get one more write-up before I got back to my work that I need to do.(can you tell I'm procrastinating yet?? )

Anamanaguchi is a chiptune rock band from New York City. I first heard these guys when a friend of mine gave me a copy of the soundtrack to Scott Pilgrim Vs The World The Game and I was instantly hooked. What's interesting about these guys is how they literally use a cracked NES console and Game Boy to create their distinct sound rather than that faux sound you might get when someone tries to do "8-bit" in Reason or FL Studio. Along with that are guitar, bass and drums which help to round out the sound and make it much a great mix of electro-rock. That's what really separates it from other music of it's genre in how rocking it can be while still having this very electronic sound.

What I really love about this band isn't the 8-bit sound, cause these days stuff like that can come a dime-a-dozen, but it's how well composed the songs are. They utilize the 8-bit sound to really bring out their songs and give them life as well as having enough complexity with song structure and riffs that you won't find in alot of this music. All of their tracks are instrumentals, and they really use that to their advantage, making the riffs and melodies jump out and more than any singer could for them. They are a great example of how you don't always need a singer or lyrics to make great music.

The music also gives loads of energy, and with what I hear about their live shows, they not only have a very tight set, but they leave quite the impression with a high-energy performance. The music is also happy and colorful as sh*t; I can put it on and can be out of a bad mood in no time.

Along with the Scott Pilgrim game, their song "Blackout City" was used for the 2010 indie game Bit.Trip.Runner, they have an album by the name of Dawn Metropolis and an EP called Power Supply, and they have released several singles that are available for free on their website

ANAMANAGUCHI

In short, if you like happy and energetic tunes with some serious chops, give these guys and earful and let me know how you like it.

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Been making some new music lately, check it out

My MB Journal-I talk about music and stuff!

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Antonio

REFLECTION:
I Don't Give a Fuck About Your YouTube Cover

YouTube is a great place. I think it is one of the most important websites ever, and it is also has a monolithic presence in our current society, whether we know it or not. One of the most interesting (read:ironically hilarious) things about YouTube is how it's basically become a glorified music player over the years. At this point people more consistently use it for streaming music than for watching anything that shows up on it. I mean, while it isn't the most optimal form of sharing or listening to music, it's still the most accepted by everyone as a whole and it still works at an ok level to keep most satisfied. So yeah, I would say that (seeing 99% of the links I have in this thread) I use YouTube for my quick play needs and for my musical enjoyment.....


…..And the last thing that I want to do is watch some fucking asshat butcher one of my favorite songs in some arbitrary manner that's of use to NO ONE.


Now, I'm not talking about people doing a cover because they genuinely respect/like an artist and want to show their love for a song they feel should be heard. Sharing others' music with people is what helps them be successful and a well done representation of it is what can keep it alive, not to mention kicking.

No, I'm talking about stuff like this


and this


and this


Oh, you can play Beethoven's 5th Symphony with your tongue while juggling? Great, now can you play the Legend of Zelda theme with pipe cleaners while singing “this is gimmicky bullshit”?


Being a guy who plays a number of video games and enjoys reading up on them and their history, I find this a lot with old-school game themes. Countless times have I had some video shoved into my face of “Metal/Bluegrass/Acapella cover of Mario/Zelda/Sonic/etc.” and people around me fawning over it. I usually find that these people also have little knowledge of or don't really care about music and are just watching it to see the one tune from their childhood being “re-imagined”.

But it's not. It's not at all. The only difference is that the instrument or method may have changed, but many times the ideas that make up the songs are played as straight as an arrow. There's little deviation except for the outlandish manner that the song is being played in, and that's not as musical as it is just visually different.

What really pisses me off is not that people do stuff like this (to each his own, I guess) but that they get POPULARITY AND RECOGNITION for doing so. Even if the cover isn't bad I still feel like it cheapens the experience of the original song, turning it into some sort of punchline for the musically retarded to go “OMG LEIK, THIS IS SO ORIGINUL AND GOOD BCUZ IT WAS DONE IN ON BONGOS WHILE UNDERWATUR DURRR”.

I believe that if you have to tack on some needless visual stuff to get people to watch your cover of a song then it's not really worth watching in the first place. I especially feel sorry for the original artists, many of whom have tons of other songs that are equal or better in quality but people only want to hear the one song that they can immediately recognize. Not only that, but 9 times out of 10 a lot of those people don't even know the name of the artist and just see them as the “<insert song title here> guy”.

Really, it's kind of a kick in the teeth to see a great song by an artist that should be respected reduced to some idiot thinking that he needs to add a needless gimmick to become “Internet famous”. Most of the time when people do this they think that they can keep up the same gimmick with different songs, but once the novelty wears off they just become another flash-in-the-pan expendable musician. Think the next generation of the One-Hit Wonder.

And as a musician of about 8 years, it feels like my craft has been cheapened to the point where I'm messing with my guitar and someone who wouldn't know an oboe from their asshole thinks I'm immediately shit just cause I didn't learn how to play random ass song from random shitty game.

In short, if you're going to do a cover on YouTube please have something to offer me that I wouldn't be able to get on the street or at some side show for 5 dollars. And if you try to show me a “re-imagining” of a song, I’m not going to watch it, but I'm going to listen to it, and if it doesn't interest me musically then it goes right back into that part of the internet where uninteresting crap goes to die.

Goddamn do I have a headache now..... :S

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Been making some new music lately, check it out

My MB Journal-I talk about music and stuff!

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