Album Review: The Itals - Brutal Out Deh (1982)

...........I'm laying next to a beautiful Jamaican woman. We're in a hammock strung between two palm trees, on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean. It's a Friday afternoon in August, around 7, and we're sharing a blunt and drinking margaritas. The sun is hanging lazily in the sky; only a few hours before it sets over the ocean. The rhythm of the waves washing gently onto the sand only 20 feet away is soothing, hypnotic.........

All you need to know about this album is that it would perfectly complement the above scene.

Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy Review

Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy

To start, Led Zeppelin is my favorite band of the 70’s. Black Sabbath was definitely the first heavy metal band, but Zeppelin was also one of the pioneers of the genre. The thing that separated Zep from Sabbath is their versatility. They play a number of different musical styles, culled from each band member’s eclectic tastes. They played rock, folk, metal, funk, and even reggae. The band was unstoppable during the 70s, and originated the decadent rock star lifestyle. Houses of the Holy is the band’s fifth album and the follow-up to the massively successful Led Zeppelin IV. IV has some of the band’s most popular songs, including Black Dog, Rock and Roll, and Stairway to Heaven. So, fans must have wondered how the band would top IV. Well, in 1973 they did it. In my opinion, Houses is Zeppelin’s best album. It’s the most consistent, and has the best collection of songs, as well as a number of classics.

The Song Remains the Same:
The album’s opener is a whimsical tune that rocks from beginning to end. I love the vocal melody at the end of the song.

The Rain Song:
The second song is a ballad, and is very well named. You can visualize a rainy day with drops of water cascading down a window. This song is full of great melodies, between Jimmy Paige’s Guitars, John Paul Jones’s bass and piano, and Robert Plant’s vocals.

Over the Hills and Far Away:
This song is one of my favorites on the record. It starts off with a harmonized folksy guitar riff, with Plant singing softly. It then explodes into a rocking chorus with a great groove. I love this type of song, which switches from soft to heavy and back. They always buildup, and excite the listener.

The Crunge:
Fans may be surprised by this song, and I’ll admit when I first got this album on my seventeenth birthday, I was too. This song is full-on funk with a strange vocal melody. It starts with the legendary John Bonham playing a jazzy beat. It took me a while, but I’ve grown to really like this song. This type of song is the reason Zeppelin is such a well-respected band. They branch out and play a number of different musical styles very well.

Dancing Days:
This song is another rocker, opening with clean electric guitar. This song is very, very catchy, and will hook the listener immediately. This song also features keyboards, played by the extremely multi-talented John Paul Jones. Jones is the unsung hero of Led Zeppelin, playing a number of instruments, as well as composing a great deal of the music. However, he is constantly overshadowed by the other three members of the band.

D’yer Mak’er:
D’yer Mak’er is another surprising track, just like The Crunge. This song features heavy reggae influence. The guitars and bass absolutely bleed reggae’s musical style. This is a really cool song because it also has heavy rock mixed in. I’ll admit this is another grower for rock fans, but once it sinks in, you can’t stop listening. Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses said in an interview that after hearing this song, he knew he wanted to become a rock singer.

No Quarter:
No Quarter is also one of my favorite tracks. It’s very slow and drones in the beginning, even depressing. Later, when the chorus kicks in, Paige plays a guitar riff that reminds me of the style of Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi. No Quarter is one of my favorite Zeppelin ballads, along with Stairway. I became addicted to this song very quickly.

The Ocean:
The Ocean is my favorite song on the album. Even though it doesn’t have the loud guitars or bass of modern heavy metal, this song reeks of heavy. The guitar is amazing in this song, and the groove is ridiculously good, thanks to the rhythm section of John Paul Jones and John Bonham. Paige plays a great blues solo as well. This is one of my favorite Zep songs to listen to, because it isn’t as played out as some of their other classics like Kashmir.

Overall, Houses of the Holy is a great album, and is my favorite Zeppelin album. It many not have some of the more famous songs of the band’s catalogue, but it is the most complete. There isn’t a bad song on here, not to mention it flows so well from song to song. The last three songs flow especially well together, and are some of the best on the entire record. They really finish the record strong with D’yer Mak’er, No Quarter, and The Ocean. This is a great record, and I would recommend it to any rock fan.

My favorite tracks:
-Over the Hills and Far Away
-D’yer Mak’er
-No Quarter
-The Ocean

Rating: 9/10

Ticking Away the Moments that Make Up a Dull Day: My Experiences With Pink Floyd

Since getting back to UVM for Spring Semester, there haven’t been many dull days. I’ve been watching a ton of Lost, watching football, and recently turned 21. The semester’s been a lot of fun so far, and I’ve gotten into a bunch of new music as well. My newest musical obsession is Pink Floyd. Some of my best friends are massive Floyd fans, and I’ve been heavily exposed to their music for the better part of a year and a half. However, I didn’t get into the band for myself until about two weeks ago. My first Floyd album was Echoes, the best of record, because I didn’t know where to start. I liked a bunch of the songs, but didn’t listen to it enough to further pursue the band’s legit albums. Later, I got Dark Side of the Moon, one of the world’s most famous records in any genre of music. Again, I liked a bunch of songs but never further pursed more music until recently. For a while, I badly wanted some new music, and randomly thought of Wish You Were here, the follow-up to Dark Side of the Moon. So, I listened to it, and instantly loved it. It’s great, great progressive rock with a great theme. Since I liked that record so much, I soon got the follow-up, entitled Animals. I was amazed at the fact that Animals is even better than Wish You Were Here, and I realized that I was quickly becoming obsessed with a new band. Animals is another great record both musically and lyrically. Below are simple, general reviews of the three Pink Floyd albums I’m familiar with, as well as ranking.

Dark Side of the Moon:

This is easily one of the most famous and well received albums of all time. This is one of the records that almost everyone owns. I’m not a Floyd expert, and Jon and Matt know much more than I do, but this is definitely a great record. Right now, I like the two follow-ups, Wish You Were Here and Animals better; however I recognize that this is a better album than Wish You Were Here. Dark Side is about the human experience, according to Jon, and I can definitely see that, with themes such as time, money, religion, and others. Time is definitely my favorite song on the album, with great lyrics, catchy hooks and melodies, and an amazing David Gilmour solo. This isn’t a record you can fully grasp on one listen, as are most Pink Floyd albums. I’m getting into it and understanding it more and more each time I listen to it. I can definitely see it rising on my Pink Floyd ranks very soon.

Rating: 9/10

Wish You Were Here:

Wish You Were Here was a more accessible record for me that Dark Side, and I was able to get into it immediately. This may be because it’s more similar to music I’m familiar with than Dark Side, but who knows. The theme of the record is the absence of Syd Barrett, the main songwriter and guitarist in the band’s first incarnation. Shine on You Crazy Diamond, broken up into two parts, and is a prog-rock masterpiece. It’s directly about Barrett. It’s an interesting title to me, because of the irony of “crazy diamond.” On one hand he was driven to insanity by acid, however the band still touted him as a musical genius, hence the “diamond.” I also like in “Have a Cigar” where they parody the music executive who asked “which one is pink.” I’m also a big fan of the title track, although my good buddies dislike it for being a radio hit. The think is, I completely understand where they’re coming from, but I still love the song. This was the first Floyd record I loved immediately so I’ll see this as a special collection of music for a longtime, although it isn’t my favorite.

Rating: 8/10

Animals:

Out of the three Floyd records I’ve heard from beginning to end, Animals is my favorite. It’s a concept album about human interactions, between civilians, businessman, and politicians (I believe). All the songs are flawless, with great guitar solos throughout. My favorite song is Dogs so far, and I especially love where the song calms down and Gilmour bends the strings in a harmony. I also really enjoy how sheep is more up-tempo than the two previous songs. I feel that this is a great way to wind down the record, with great musical variation. This is such a great record, and one of the better concept albums I’ve ever heard. I probably listened to it four times last week, maybe more. Animals is my favorite Pink Floyd record, and one of the best records I’ve heard this year. My next project is sitting down and listening to The Wall. From what I heard, I loved, so I can definitely see myself enjoying it.

Rating: 9/10
My Pink Floyd Album Rankings:

1: Animals
2: Wish You Were Here
3: Dark Side of the Moon

UPDATED: Social Entropy

All systems in the universe approach a state of total chaos. In this vein of thinking, the very function of civilization is to keep the human species from dissolving into a state of chaos. Can you imagine what the world would be like with six billion people and no laws or social customs? In order to prevent this anarchistic state, a very small minority of people carve out the tenets of society through cultural customs, religion, and judicial processes. However, the actual execution of these rules has a two-fold effect.

The first effect of this social organization is that of bringing people together harmoniously. As examples, charity work and life-saving medical research, which may seem unrelated, are actually the offspring of well-intentioned individuals who were organized into a group and thus able to pool their efforts and maximize their effectiveness. This is the boon of ordered structures of social interactions. However, this positive effect is overshadowed by the dark side of organized society.

People collaborating their efforts in large groups with little control over one another can be a very fruitful experience. However, inevitably in all types of civilizations, which are truly crafted and controlled by a global ruling class, the common person follows social rules and examples for no better reason other than the fact that they exist. This sheep-like activity allows the ruling class to exploit and abuse the masses with little to no consequence.

The ruling classes of various countries have developed methods to quell any retribution for their self-serving behavior. For instance, in the United States, the “American Dream” is an indoctrination tool whereby people are told that if they work hard and apply themselves, they actually have a chance of becoming rich and prosperous and able to control their own destiny. Thus, generation after generation, the American working class plods along in unrewarding and degrading jobs, allowing the economic elites to ravage the country and economy. The working class allows this behavior of the ruling class because, in their ignorance, they believe that it is acceptable to desire and have those privileges for themselves once they rise through the ranks of society. In less-developed and smaller nations, such as certain countries in Africa, a military dictatorship is sufficient to allow a small group of people to exploit the citizens of the controlled nation.

A most poignant observation, upon accepting this view of human society, is that capitalism as it is practiced today belongs on the dark side of social entropy. The very idea of most of the wealth in a society being controlled by a minority of its members is categorically at odds with a morally justifiable view of the world, unless every member of the society has an equal opportunity to gain their share of said wealth. In order to allow every person an equal chance to gain a level of wealth that is proportionate to their contribution to society, several things must occur.

The first necessary change to society is the abandonment of categorizations for people. For instance, the idea of separating people by race, religion, nationality, physical attributes, mental ability, or any other similar factors must be overcome in our society. Until we no longer judge a person by any qualities that he or she cannot control, we cannot legitimately consider ourselves to be magnanimous.

The second necessary change is to end all inheritance of wealth in any form. The purpose of capitalism is to allow members of society to gain a share of wealth that is relative to their motivation and ingenuity. If we allow wealth to be passed down through generations, it negates the point of capitalism. Inheritance allows a person to gain wealth without making a proportionate contribution to society. In addition, all living people should be given equally strong motivation to strive for human progress. Any members of society who inherit wealth are arguably no longer motivated to make progressive achievements in any field of human endeavor, because they are no longer forced to earn their own living. How many important discoveries or inventions have been made by somebody who inherited a trust fund?

As soon as we implement these changes, societal progress will be boundless. The distribution of wealth in the world will become more just and discrimination will end. For the first time in human history, we could be proud to be members of the human race.

Lost in Lost

With the season 5 premier of the television show Lost, I figured I'd write a little bit about the show. I'm late to the draw when it comes to Lost. I only got into it within the last few months, which is about four and a half years after the show's premier. My cousins talked about how good it was right when it came out, but for whatever reason, I didn't start watching it. I do remember seeing a few of the initial season 3 episodes two summers ago though. The problem was that Lost has such complex story lines and character developments, that those episodes were so out of context that I didn't grasp much of it. Lost isn't a show like Seinfeld or Entourage where you can watch it whenever and easily enjoy and understand it.

Lost is one of the best television shows I have ever seen. It is extremely well written, well acted, and has amazing twists and turns. The cinematography is absolutely fantastic as well. The show is filmed in Hawaii, so whether you see shots of the jungle or the beach your eyes are having a party.

Now, the majority of the characters are great. There are a few characters who are annoying, but to my surprise they have had redeeming qualities. I love how the cast is not only diverse, but have a wide range of personalities and traits. I enjoy the power struggle between Jack and Locke, and also the tough guy antics of Sayid and Sawyer. The flashbacks chronicling the back stories are also extremely well done. I don't want to give much of any of the plots away, as this show is built on twists. It's an absolutely amazing show, one of the best in years, and I highly recommend it.

As I write this, I'm watching through the third season, trying to get up to date before the season 5 premier. I haven't disliked any of the seasons, and I'm throughrouly enjoying the third so far. I can't say enough good things about this show. I have to thank my friends, Matt, Nick, Ryan, Cindy, and Rita for getting me into this great show. Lost is amazing...and I'm "Lost" in it haha.

Impossible things that I have experienced.

A Christmas tree, on an island, with it's lights on.
Listening to an hour-and-47-minute-long album in 34 minutes.
Having a light switch on the other side of the room turned off while alone.
Enjoying Soul Plane.

A Rant about a Plant

Marijuana should be legal for so many reasons that it would be absurd to try and document them all on this blog. However, I will run through a couple of them.

Excellent reasons for why marijuana should be legal:

1. Marijuana is not a gateway drug. "People who use heavy drugs claim that their drug use started with marijuana." No shit. There has to be a beginning to everything, including drug use. The first time you drove a car, did you compete in Le Mans? Of course not. To relate, hardly anybody's first drug will be heroin or some other hard street drug. At some point during every pot smoker's use of marijuana, and sometimes even before they start blazing, he or she will learn of drugs that have much more pronounced effects. Whether or not this person then decides to move on from marijuana to more intense drugs has nothing to do with the fact that they blazed in the first place. It has to do with a combination of morbid curiosity, life situation, and brain chemistry. The use of marijuana does not have a causal relationship with the later use of more harmful drugs.

2. Tobacco is legal.

3. Alcohol is legal.

4. Marijuana does not cause a lack of motivation. Marijuana has a tendency to attract users of less-than-average motivation, because being high makes sitting on a couch all day interesting. If marijuana didn't exist, it's not as if these people would be out doing medical research or volunteering at homeless shelters.

5. The government says that it should be illegal.

6. "Marijuana negatively affects the memory." First of all, let's see some proof. Secondly, so does being tired and aging.

7. If marijuana was legalized, crime would decrease. By making something illegal, the government creates a black market for it, and crime results. Is increased crime really worth having in order to fail at preventing people from lighting up a J?

8. Vaporizers exist. The argument about negative effects on the lungs is not valid.

9. Reggae.