Christmas

well, 1 hour until the clock strikes Christmas and all I can think about is all the stuff that I wanted to accomplish this year and I didn't. kinda bummed. I really need to manage my time better. I need to say no to some things. I need to plan and budget more or I'm going to end up in more trouble than I already am.

so here's to one more week of unrefined and unstructured living.... then it's time for New Years Resolutions.

Finals

almost every semester I go through a finals freak-out and every semester it's really not as bad as I think it's going to be (except for my freshman semester... that was miserable). Right now I'm finishing up work for my last final. It's exciting to think that in just one more semester I'll be done. Bonkerz.

Top 10 Albums... of my life.

Introduction

This is a list of the top 10 albums of my life so far. This has nothing to do with the quality or acclaim that these albums received, this list is devoted to albums that had an impact on me. If an album greatly altered how I listen to or write music, it probably made the list. So here we go...

Honorable Mention: Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (2001, DreamWorks)

The reason this didn't quite make the list is because as much as I love it, it didn't really change anything for me. I heard it, I loved it, and I still love it, but this list is more for albums that have changed me musically: either in the way that I listen or the way I write. But I had to mention it, because it's just that good.

10. Saves The Day - Stay What You Are (2001, Vagrant)

I don't remember if this was 6th grade or junior high, but that doesn't matter too much. This is the album that got me really interested in music that wasn't Christian music. Reliant K and The O.C. Supertones had been my staples before this. My friend Shane Stuttle played "At Your Funeral" for me and I couldn't get it out of my head. This is about the same time that Kazaa and Bearshare were in their prime, so I think this is one of the first albums I stole (sorry dudes). Saves The Day was the key band is my transitional phase out of solely Christian music and into a whole world of awesome. I owe a big "thank you" to them.

9. No Age - Nouns (2008, Sup Pop)

Aaron Bragg showed me No Age. I didn't know what I thought at first… and then Teen Creeps came on. Sold. There are few times that a song has gotten me that stoked that fast (but I think "Party Hard" by Andrew W.K. would take the cake for that). No Age taught me to not care too much about how the recording sounds. If the song's good, then it's going to come through.

8. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (2005, Self-released)

It took me a while to like Clap Your Hands. I wouldn't call them the most accessible band, but ever since I got into it, I haven't been able to get off of it. I first heard them my Junior year of high school but didn't really get into it until a year or two later. Ever since then I have never stopped coming back to it. I can listen to this album any time and I will always get stoked on it. I'm not sure what it is about it, but there is definitely a light, poppy feel to the album that is well balanced by some darker, moodier moments. It just feels right and makes me want to write pop music that still feels deep.

#7. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica (2000, Epic)

This wasn't the first Modest Mouse album I ever heard. One of my friends bought Good News For People Who Love Bad News as soon as it came out (2004) because he had heard a lot of hype about it. He put it in my CD player and we started listening. He hated it and I wasn't that into it either. Not long after that I heard the song "Paper Thin Walls." I was really surprised when I found out it was a Modest Mouse song. So I gave Moon and Antarctica a shot and really enjoyed it, and the more I listened to it the more it grew on me. It has become my favorite Modest Mouse album, but I must admit I like everything Issac Brock gets his hands on (if you haven't seen the movie 180 South then

you should probably do that). This album really showed me that being an honest songwriter will make a big impact on your music comes across. There is a lot of passion in Issac's songs and that's what makes them timeless to me. It becomes more than just the music, but also the feeling behind it.

#6. Dan Deacon - Bromst (2009, Carpark)

This is the most recent release to make it on here. I myself am amazed that this landed at the #6 spot. The more I thought about it the more I realized how much this album changed how I think about music. I was into electronic music before this, but I had never realized the potential of it until I heard this album. Bromst blew my mind instantly. I had heard the song "Crystal Cat" off of Dan's Spiderman Of The Rings, so I thought i knew what to expect from Bromst, but I had no clue. This album showed me how much power one man can have with just a laptop, a creative mind, and a ton of music theory under his belt. I was entranced as soon the album started and literally jumped out of my seat in excitement when the song "Snookered" reached its climax. I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to make fun electronic music that was also smart and complex. Of course nothing I've done has come anywhere close to being Dan Deacon quality (and stylistically not the same either), but the way this album opened me up is something I will never forget. Also, if you haven't seen the "making of" video for this album, do that now. It rules.

#5. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (2007, Domino)

This is the first album I ever heard by Animal Collective. It was sometime in my freshman year of college that I heard it and I don't remembering paying much attention to it. Then in the summer of 2008 I decided to take a trip up to Chicago and go to Pitchfork Music Festival. I was really stoked on a lot of the bands playing, but the headliners Saturday were Animal Collective and I wasn't sure what to expect. I felt like I went into a trance where colors and sounds all blended in to something beautiful and unique and pulled me in. After that night all I wanted to do was to get to know Animal Collective better. I was upset that I hadn't given them the time of day before seeing them live, but I'm kinda glad that a live experience was my first real connection with them. I got to see first hand a form that I never knew music could take.

#4. Arcade Fire - "Funeral" (2004, Merge)

The first Arcade Fire song I ever heard was "Neighborhood #4 (Power Out)" and that was sometime in 2006 (yeah, i was behind the curve). I think Shane Stuttle showed it to me, but don't quote me on that. I got instantly stoked on it. This album took me absolutely zero time to warm up to. As soon as I got my hands on it I was listening to it non-stop. With every album I like I always assume that I'm going to eventually just stop caring about it, but this is a list of albums that have overcome that, and this is no exception. Honestly I don't have much to say about how this album changed how I listen to or make music, but it's one of my favorite albums of all time and I have a tattoo of the album art. I don't think albums get much better than this.

#3. mewithoutYou - "A->B Life" (2002, Tooth & Nail)

I remember the first day i heard mewithoutYou, I was riding in the car with Luke Collins and he played me "Memphis Will be Laid to Waste" by Norma Jean and then "Gentlemen" by mewithoutYou. I remember when Aaron Wiess came in at the end of "Memphis…" and I was in awe. I had never listened to anything like that before. I can't even remember having heard hardcore music before that time. It was awesome. Then when he played "Gentlemen" it was just like all the awesomeness of the end of "Memphis…" was spread out through a whole song. Totally kick-ass. That day a lot of things changed for me. My ear for music got turned in a whole new direction.

#2. Wolf Parade - "Apologies To The Queen Mary" (2005, Sub Pop)

There's nothing bad to say about this album. I think it's almost perfect. The first song I ever heard was "Grounds For Divorce" and that was sometime in 2006 I believe. It was an instant love affair and I started listening to this album all the time. But like me and most albums, the love slowly faded. Then in 2008 Wolf Parade released "At Mount Zoomer" and I bought it the day it came out. It was a disappointment. So I dusted off "Apologies…" and fell back in love. From then on I knew this album was extremely special. The more I listened to it, the more I loved it. If I would have made this list last year, this album barely would have snuck on, but now it's almost at the top (and even at this moment I'm debating whether it deserves #1). This album just did everything right. Fast and slow songs, fun and meaningful lyrics, dance tunes and rock tunes, and most of all: uniqueness.

As a sidenote I would like to say that Wolf Parade has definitely disappointed me a good bit since this album, but all of that was fully redeemed with the song "Yulia" off of Expo 86 and their "Semi-Precious Stone / Agents of Love" digital release.

#1. Animal Collective - "Feels" (2005, FatCat)

I've already told you how I got into Animal Collective with the #5 slot that was given to "Strawberry Jam," so we don't need to go through that story again. So after that summer when I saw Animal Collective live, I got back home and started exploring the Animal Collect discography. I liked a lot of it, but "Strawberry Jam" really was… well… my jam. But then I met a girl named Eliza Dhonau. She loved Animal Collective a whole lot and listened to "Feels" all the time. I fell in love with this album while hanging out with her. I find this album has perfect aural balance. It's twisted and dark, but also light and happy. For me, all the songs have a perfect structure to them and flow from beginning to end without ever getting to the point where I want to change the track (well, other than "Bees," that's the one song that I'm not in love with).

I once had a conversation with Austin Fleming about how the song "The Purple Bottle" is a perfect song. I don't know if he still thinks that, but I definitely do. Everything about that songs just feels right to me.

Another reason I love "Feels" is the shift that takes place mid-album. The first four songs could almost be an album on their own, and then then next four work incredibly well together but still compliment the album perfectly. Then the last track, "Turn Into Something" is almost another thing entirely, but it still flows somehow.

As I am writing this I am listening to "Banshee Beat," which is quite possibly my favorite song on the album currently. It has a lot of repetition in it, but the steadiness of the beat and tone of the guitar just puts me in a trance that I don't want to ever end. If that song was 15 minutes long I would still love it.

So, am I just another dude who sucks Animal Collective's dick and loves everything they do? Yes. I am. I'm perfectly alright with that.

TIger Cub - Visionary

the new Tiger Cub single came out yesterday. if you didn't see my multiple facebook and twitter posts already, then snag it over at our bandcamp.

ohhhh snap

the new Tiger Cub single comes out tomorrow. i'm very excited about this. it's the first release we've had since April. it's being released digitally through our bandcamp for free. that's also exciting. i want everything to be free.

now it's time to start working on our next album. the tentative release date it April 2011.

about that time

it's starting to get to that point where i'm pretty seriously thinking about what i'm going to do with my life. it's weird.

The Girl....

Just last night I watched the final installment of "The Girl..." series. They're Swedish films directed by Niels Arden Oplev. All three of these films are extremely good. It is probably the most solid trilogy of films since Lord Of The Rings. The first film, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," was most definitely the best. It was just such a fresh idea that played out perfectly. It's disturbing, sad, terrifying, and beautiful. The second one is not quite as good as the first and the third is the worst of the three, but they are all worth seeing. Describing them in order I would say: phenomenal, great, and very good.

The first installment of the American version of this trilogy comes out December 11th, 2011 and will be direct by David Fincher (Zodiac, The Social Network). Even with Fincher's great resumé, I wonder if he'll be able to do justice to this great set of films. I'm excited to see what happens.

lololol

just got a message on facebook from some dude I don't know. all it said was "Clean up your language on facebook!" lolololololol

Night Drive

here's a song that didn't fit with any of my other stuff. overdistorted, depressing, and just not well thought-out, but i think the guitar is super rad.

Night Drive by Surf Siberian

succumbing to the social

the social networks have pulled me back in, and instantly my blogging incentive died. unfortunate. when it comes down to it, i like blogs a lot better than social networks, but for some reason i like to spend my time on social networks more. or maybe i just waste more time on there.

anyway, i'm sitting outside of the TV studio gettin ready to do my project. this is gunna me nuts. i'm pretty nervous.

twitter

i'm back on twitter.

so is Tiger Cub.

Surf Siberian art

The EP comes out next week. keep yo eyes peeled.

good times

many good times were had at Purdue this weekend. possibly the best of times. ate food, watched Predator, and met a bunch of people. sounds like a birthday to me.

BIRFDEY

headed over to Purdue to hang with my bros on my birthday. pretty stoked.

Tiger Cub finished recording the first of two songs that are going to be coming out as a digital 7" later this month. It's more than a little exciting.

fall break

my fall break is lookin like a bunch of dolphins and unicorns.

Surf Siberian - Summer Roolz

Well, the Surf Siberian album is getting close to done. I was planning on having it out long before now, but things didn't go as smooth as I had hoped. My new goal is to have it out by the end of the month... I'll do my best to make that happen.

Here's a preview track. You might have already peeped the demo version of this, but this one's the real deal.

Summer Roolz by Surf Siberian

Death Crew 77

check these dudes out

www.myspace.com/gauntlethair

Breaking Bad

I watched the first episode of Breaking Bad today. I think i'm going to be able to get in to it. The first episode definitely had some holes, but for the most part it was pretty solid writing and some good cinematography.

So, let's recap my TV show watching from the start of the semester till now (midterm):

Breaking Bad - 1 Episode (1.1)

30 Rock - 7 Episodes (1.1 - 1.7)

Weeds - 10 Episodes (4.5 - 5.1)

Seinfeld - 20 Episodes (1.0 - 3.3)

Big Bang Theory - 57 Episodes (1.1 - 3.17)

and the greatest of all...

Psych - 72 Episodes (1.0 - 5.9)

that's 167 episodes of..... stuff.

free Tiger Cub

i finally got around to putting our single "The Sun!" on bandcamp. it, along with the b-side, are up there for free. go get 'em.

The Gaskets

if i ever get rich, i'm going to pay The Gaskets a bunch of money to get back together and play a reunion show. everyone's invited. super party.

cougars

well, at least Cougars have an excuse:

"Hormones in oral contraceptives might suppress a woman's interest in masculine men and make boyish males more attractive to her."

YES!

one of my childhood dreams came true today...

spiced out

picture of Scuttle post-bong hit

bummer

even though we know that our best friends will let us down at some point, it's always a bummer when it actually happens.

sixteen candles

i'm about to watch sixteen candles for the first time in many many years. i'm pretty excited.

grumpy

just about anything could piss me off right now, but i'm not sure why.

double or nothin

i doubled up my socks today. my feet are so cozy.

shoes

I've spent the past 30 minutes shopping for shoes on ebay. I think i'm going to get these:

not a fan

i really don't like when toilet seats are freezing cold. but then again, it's even weirder if they're super warm. i guess i just don't like toilet seats unless they're room temperature.

tonight

this is tonight. i'm way stoked.

gorgeous

me

i really hate the fact that i like to feel sorry for myself.

180° South

Just got finished watching 180° South. It's eye opening and inspirational... and the music by Isaac Brock is rad. Doug Tompkins is one of the main dudes in the documentary and he is an incredible man. There are times in the doc where they show footage of Doug back in the 60's and it's so surreal: he and his buddies just driving a VW van on the PanAmerican highway from California to Patagonia. Unbelievable. I think I have some new goals in life....

Brett McCracken

I went and saw Brett McCracken speak tonight. He wrote this book:

For some reason I expected him to make me angry or be really shallow or something, but he was actually a really cool guy with some good things to say. He said how he's not targeting hipster culture, he's just drawing attention to how striving to be "cool" can draw us away from growing in our faith.

here's how I summed up his talk: If you are going to carry the label of Christian - whether it be Hipster Christian, Christian Bro, Sports Dad Christian - you need to exemplify the qualities of Christ. You can be a hipster Christian, but first a Christian, then a hipster.

color wheel

it's like a pizza..... of color.

Greg Giraldo died

... that's about it.

daaaaaamn

new Kanye/Bon Iver track leaked. so dope.

easily entertained

so, i have this Sociology class that requires me to watch these out-of-class video lectures. so i download the videos, start 'em up, and then i put on some instrumental music in the background so i hear the lecture over top of music by Saxon Shore, Unwed Sailer, Sun Araw, etc. not only does it make the lecture way more interesting, it makes it go by a lot faster. it's like an epic, informational, sociological spoken word album.

Easy A

went and saw Easy A. it was really funny. i was kind a scared when it started, but once it picked up and Olive's parents showed up in the film, it was hilarious. if there is any family in the world like that one, i want to be part of it.

Also, i found a book today called "God wants YOU to be rich!" It is so incredibly entertaining. i think i'm going to finish it right now. i have honestly never read a book with this many typos.

gets me every time

gotta do it

the fact that there is a movie in theaters right now with Emma Stone in it and I haven't seen it yet is just tragic. I am finding a way to go tonight. she's just too adorable.

the past 3 hours

I've spent the last 3 hours sitting on this couch watching youtube videos and thinking about how my feet are freezing. and if that's not bad enough, one of those videos was a live performance by Justin Bieber. this is terrifying.

say what?

oh wait, am I once again working ahead in every class? am I totally on top of my academic game? ohhhhhh shiiiiitttt sonnnnnn. i think so.

PMS

"I'm not goin' anywhere. I'm changin' into my PMS pants." -Taylor

Psych

this show just kicks so much ass. thank you Grant Wood for suggesting it to me.

oh my

this weekend is so anti-climactic compared to the last two. pretty depressing.

Phil Collins

I vote that there should be a movie made about Phil Collins.... but I want 30-year-old Bill Murray to play him.

hehe

www.thefuckingweather.com

too cool

dum dums

they get me every time.

wait... i like to write?

recently i have found that there are things that i care enough about that i actually want to write about them. this week i wrote an opinion in to The Echo and a response to an article that was published in the new, not-so-subtly-named campus publication entitled The Rant. I just got the urge to write these. that's really weird for me, but i really liked it. i might start doing a lot more of it.

also, the Sunset Rubdown channel on Pandora is serving me quite well.

holy shit

i'm a senior in college. sometimes i remember that and get a little freaked out.

new haircut

CHEST EXPLOSION

oh yeah

can't do anything without you, can't do anything with you

oops

sittin' in the library working on homework and i just realized that i've missed 20 minutes of class. ha, well, there's no way i'm walking in 20 minutes late.

adorable

really good book

Seth Boyd is a champ

1 week. 2 weekends.

Twins and I are headed over to Purdue here soon. I'm pretty stoked to hang out with the dudes over there. always a guaranteed good time.

this week has ruled. i went down to Bloomington on Wednesday and now i'm headed to Purdue. It feels like i've have 2 weekends this week. so refreshing.

you, me, skype

now that i don't have a facebook, you should add me on skype. skype name: bipolarart

that smell....

i really don't do well being alone.

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Tiger Cub

I've been working on the new Tiger Cub jams. they sound pretty bitchin. our new set-up is optimum.

of course

sittin in bed watching Seinfeld.

simple truths

"I guess I haven't really ever had bad pizza. I've just had some pizza that's better than others. I have the same view on sex." - some girl named Emily

No Ferocious?

Osteoferocious is opening for No Age tonight, so Taylor and I are headed down to Bloomington to catch the action. this should be rad. my fourth time seeing No Age in the past year. grooooooovy.

//

Kanye

"I don't know what it is with females, but I'm not too good at that shit."

damn straight Kanye... damn straight.

i would flip a nug

there is a possibility we're playing a show with these dudes. i'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but it's hard not to.

VMAs

the VMA performances were pretty fuckin' sweet this year.

2010 MTV Video Music Awards - More VMA Video

love skype

twins and i chattin' with Simone and Chelsea! miss those girls a ton.

finally

Calibretto

i lost all my Calibretto albums when my old computer died. some dude was awesome and put them all up on his blog. just got 'em all back. stoked.

Polar Bear

i was a bit disappointed with the last Siberian song i put out, but i think this one makes up for it. i rarely make something that i'm really stoked on, i'm pretty critical of my own songs, but i'm definitely into this one.

the song is called "Polar Bear" but i don't really know why. i'll say that it's because it's kinda like a Panda Bear song... but not really. i made all the samples with guitar (and Frankie the fish) and the beats with a drum machine.

DOWNLOAD "POLAR BEAR" HERE

lyrics:
Hey there brown-hair blue-eyed beauty
won't you be my better half?
My white hair is falling out and
you'll be all that I have left.

Hey there sundress crooked smile
I don't think we've ever met.
We made all those memories and
now I'm trying to forget.

Hey there brown-hair blue-eyed beauty
shirt and pants now on the floor.
You act shy and so do I
but we've been naked here before.

Stop there wait there where ya goin'?
I thought we were having fun.
Lots of time to think this over and
we'll fade out with the sun.

I'll try to be somebody.

Summer Roolz

so i got done with that song sooner than i expected. it's called Summer Roolz even though it's not a super "summer sounding" track. get it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?nnaqmlqj3mm

the lyrics are: "All I want is to go outside and be with the people that I like."

songs to come

i've been writing some songs lately. not much really, just a lot of guitar-based-airy-vocal stuff. anyway, i was thinking of compiling an EP of these songs... but last time i said i was going to do that i never got done with it and all the songs kinda just disappeared. so this time i think i'll just post the songs up one by one as i get them done. so give them a listen and talk to me about them if you're one of the few who pay attention to this blog at all (*cough* Adam Stump *cough*).

so yeah, i will have a song or two up before the weekend. until then, make your own music.

some good things

since I'm now back in Indiana, I have to find new ways to occupy all my dead time. first off, i went and saw this movie:It ruled so hard. Now one of my favorite animated films ever. So going along with the viking theme, i started reading this book:I'm about halfway through it and it looks like it's going to be another fun Michael Crichton adventure. i seriously love that dude.

Another little somethin' that fell into my hands recently is the new Sleigh Bells album. all i can say is yes yes yes yes. so good. i'm all about it.

JAPANDROIDS

AFTER HER, I QUIT GIRLS.


i stay up too late.

just stuff

I'm going to see Delorean tonight. that excites me. then Logan is coming up to hang out on Monday. that is also super rad.

i watched Donnie Darko today for the 5th or 6th time, but today i really watched it. i paused it whenever there was a sentence i needed to think about and hit rewind every time i missed a word. i'm writing a paper on it tomorrow which i think is pretty cool. that movie has a lot to offer.

Tiger Cub recorded some new songs. i finished mixing one and sent it to get mastered today. our first show in 6 months will be May 22nd at Molly Malones in Cincinnati, Ohio. i'm more than a little stoked for that.

The Sun!

The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun!
The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun! The Sun!

where the hell have you been??!??!!!

...having too much fun and doing too much to work to spend my time blogging.

--Jamison and I thrashing to No Age--

nostalgia

i've been rockin' out on The Quality Object lately. i decided to take my two favorite tracks and try my hand at actually making them sound decent. it turned out pretty awesome. so here are the "mastered" versions of "Title" and "Kiss Me, Deadly":

http://www.mediafire.com/?zwdyti5z4dx

("Title" comes up as "Titel" when you listen to it. so yeah, you may want to fix that.)