Nobody reads this blog.
I knew this would happen, of course, but it really irks me to see that only four people have seen it in the last three weeks. Maybe that's why Austin doesn't have the counter on the side. It's unbelievably annoying.
However, this does mean that, if I wanted to, I could post whatever crazy shit I wanted, and maybe only the Google people would notice. After all, there are a plethora of crazy blogs out there with weird junk and stupid ideas that have caught my eye. And it would fit my mediocre essay-writing skills.
But I think I'll stick the course of posting random, pointless essays, music reviews, and whatever else I decide to post. It's not like anyone will read it, so why should I care?
9/22/2011
The King is Dead
The King is Dead by The Decemberists
9.1/10
Four years ago, if you told me that at age 16 anything resembling country would be my favorite genre, I'd probably slap you. And yet, through the jangly sound of Clearwater, the classic sound of the Eagles, and the warbles of Conor Oberst, Americana is my hands-down favorite genre. So when my dad got the new Decemberists album and told me it was Americana, I couldn't resist.
The Decemberists are known for their much more ornate albums and historical lyrics. I didn't know anything about them before this album, but after listening to The Mariner's Revenge song and 16 Military Wives a few times, I got a sense of how different this album is, and why the reaction was so mixed.
The King is Dead is a straightforward country-rock album in the same vein as Being There or Mermaid Avenue. Starting with a loud harmonica and a roaring beat, the album explores multiple sounds and themes, but nothing strays far out of the rootsy sound. Lyrically, the album ranges from doomsday to miners to simple hymns about months and the seasons. REM's Peter Buck joins in on the REM-esques Calamity Song, but the band seems to keep to one style for the most part. Another important note about this album is that it's a collection of songs. There's nothing like The Crane Wife's meandering themes and narratives, and the whole album has no theme.
It's actually hard to write a full review of this album. Unlike something like I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, there's nothing to really gush about, or to critique. It's so straightforward that it's nearly impossible to say anything. Every song is great, but the album isn't spectacular, and there aren't any huge faults to find. It's just a great album.
1. Don't Carry It All - 9/10 A loud and uplifting country rock song. It features a harmonica and loud, beating drums. The guitar is toned down to give the drums full center, and they punctuate every word Colin Meloy sings. The only break from this is a sudden string-filled bridge.
2. Calamity Song - 11/10 The doomsday song. It starts with a catchy riff by Peter Buck of REM, and adds on layers of instruments. Colin sings of a chaotic apocalypse with a gleeful tone, adding a Summerteeth style dichotomy. This song ranks at number 2 for my favorites on the album.
3. Rise to Me - 10/10 A calmer folk song. I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but they are quite poetic. The song is calm, soothing, and features Colin harmonizing with Gillian Welch. The song is folky with a touch of steel guitar.
4. Rox in the Box - 9/10 The historical song. This one follows miners working on a "grey granite mine." The song paints a bleak picture, and the track relies on accordion and a guitar riff.
5. January Hymn - 10/10 One of my favorites off the album. This song is slow, calm, and beautiful. It's folk, with a repetitive riff and Colin singing softly and melodically. The song is about the feelings of January, regret, and bleakness, yet the song is anything but stark. Again, the dichotomy recalls Summerteeth.
6. Down By the Water - 11/10 The hit, and for good reason. This song marks a departure from the calmer folk and country that preceded it. It's an emotional song, with chiming vocals and a roaring chorus. The song is layered, with guitar and accordion providing a backbone while the drums and vocals take center stage. Lyrically, I have no idea what it's about, but it does seem to hint at nostalgia.
7. All Arise - 8/10 I love and hate this song. It's a simple three-chord country song with chiming violins, cheesy lyrics, and goofy banjo/piano. It's just so odd that I hate it, but it's so catchy that I love it. The chorus is without a doubt the highlight, although I have no clue what "shotgun shy" means.
8. June Hymn - 9/10 A soft song based around harmonica and guitar. Like Rise to Me, the guitar drives the song. However, there are no drums. It's very near acoustic, yet it doesn't seem like it.
9. This is Why We Fight - 7/10 My least favorite on the album. That being said, it's still an excellent song. This song is loud, upbeat, and pounding. It has a feel that sticks out of the album, invoking a vigor and emotion that not even Down by the Water possesses.
10. Dear Avery - 10/10 My third favorite on the album. An acoustic song with a strange chord progression, this song features Colin Meloy singing in a Conor Oberst style, with heavy emotion and warble. The lyrics describe a letter written to a man named Avery. The song ends with a beautiful coda, with drums, steel guitars, and humming vocals all blending together into pure Americana bliss.
9.1/10
The Decemberists are known for their much more ornate albums and historical lyrics. I didn't know anything about them before this album, but after listening to The Mariner's Revenge song and 16 Military Wives a few times, I got a sense of how different this album is, and why the reaction was so mixed.
The King is Dead is a straightforward country-rock album in the same vein as Being There or Mermaid Avenue. Starting with a loud harmonica and a roaring beat, the album explores multiple sounds and themes, but nothing strays far out of the rootsy sound. Lyrically, the album ranges from doomsday to miners to simple hymns about months and the seasons. REM's Peter Buck joins in on the REM-esques Calamity Song, but the band seems to keep to one style for the most part. Another important note about this album is that it's a collection of songs. There's nothing like The Crane Wife's meandering themes and narratives, and the whole album has no theme.
It's actually hard to write a full review of this album. Unlike something like I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, there's nothing to really gush about, or to critique. It's so straightforward that it's nearly impossible to say anything. Every song is great, but the album isn't spectacular, and there aren't any huge faults to find. It's just a great album.
1. Don't Carry It All - 9/10 A loud and uplifting country rock song. It features a harmonica and loud, beating drums. The guitar is toned down to give the drums full center, and they punctuate every word Colin Meloy sings. The only break from this is a sudden string-filled bridge.
2. Calamity Song - 11/10 The doomsday song. It starts with a catchy riff by Peter Buck of REM, and adds on layers of instruments. Colin sings of a chaotic apocalypse with a gleeful tone, adding a Summerteeth style dichotomy. This song ranks at number 2 for my favorites on the album.
3. Rise to Me - 10/10 A calmer folk song. I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but they are quite poetic. The song is calm, soothing, and features Colin harmonizing with Gillian Welch. The song is folky with a touch of steel guitar.
4. Rox in the Box - 9/10 The historical song. This one follows miners working on a "grey granite mine." The song paints a bleak picture, and the track relies on accordion and a guitar riff.
5. January Hymn - 10/10 One of my favorites off the album. This song is slow, calm, and beautiful. It's folk, with a repetitive riff and Colin singing softly and melodically. The song is about the feelings of January, regret, and bleakness, yet the song is anything but stark. Again, the dichotomy recalls Summerteeth.
6. Down By the Water - 11/10 The hit, and for good reason. This song marks a departure from the calmer folk and country that preceded it. It's an emotional song, with chiming vocals and a roaring chorus. The song is layered, with guitar and accordion providing a backbone while the drums and vocals take center stage. Lyrically, I have no idea what it's about, but it does seem to hint at nostalgia.
7. All Arise - 8/10 I love and hate this song. It's a simple three-chord country song with chiming violins, cheesy lyrics, and goofy banjo/piano. It's just so odd that I hate it, but it's so catchy that I love it. The chorus is without a doubt the highlight, although I have no clue what "shotgun shy" means.
8. June Hymn - 9/10 A soft song based around harmonica and guitar. Like Rise to Me, the guitar drives the song. However, there are no drums. It's very near acoustic, yet it doesn't seem like it.
9. This is Why We Fight - 7/10 My least favorite on the album. That being said, it's still an excellent song. This song is loud, upbeat, and pounding. It has a feel that sticks out of the album, invoking a vigor and emotion that not even Down by the Water possesses.
10. Dear Avery - 10/10 My third favorite on the album. An acoustic song with a strange chord progression, this song features Colin Meloy singing in a Conor Oberst style, with heavy emotion and warble. The lyrics describe a letter written to a man named Avery. The song ends with a beautiful coda, with drums, steel guitars, and humming vocals all blending together into pure Americana bliss.
9/12/2011
Patriotism
Yesterday was the anniversary of 9/11. Ten years have gone by since that horrific day. I was a little six year old when it happened, and I barely remember that morning. Watching specials on it are the closest I've come to feeling the same emotion that many Americans feel. So, this anniversary did not affect me as it would anyone who lost someone or witnessed the event. It affected me in a very different way.
Following 9/11, there was a surge in patriotism that still lingers to this day. This patriotism allowed such heinous laws like the Patriot act to be passed, and eventually, it allowed the Iraq War to break out. It is something that I personally abhor.
Right or left, people who take this superpatriotic, us above everyone stance really worry me. The problem that I have with patriotism is that it blinds people with nationalistic ideals that overcome all rational thought. I've been called anti-American for not wanting to recite the pledge in school. In the political arena, President Obama was criticized for not wearing a flag pin. People like Michelle Bachmann have called for investigations on who's "anti-American" in congress. Last year, Glenn Beck hosted the 9/12 Rally to Restore Honor in D.C. This rally leeched off of past accomplishments in American history and was a mockery of patriotism. Hell, the entirety of the Tea Party has based much of their ideology on this faux-patriotism.
Something that these "patriots" are failing to recognize is the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism is the love of one's country. Nationalism is the obsession of one's country. These people are not patriots, they are nationalists.
"Our country, right or wrong."
-Stephen Decatur
Nationalism builds up racism. It builds up imperialism. It blinds its followers, wrapped in the flag, and often, religion. A nationalist will have undying love for their country. They will be unresponsive to reason. Historically, nationalist ideologies have been responsible for an endless amount of wars; most notably WWI. WWI was a pointless war fought over a clash of egos. It was fueled by endless nationalism. Another example of nationalism is the Red Scare. The use of irrational fear and the extreme love of America was manipulated to create a political witch hunt.
The people who wrap themselves in the flag and call America God's chosen nation are not patriots. They are nationalists.
"My country right or wrong; if right, to be kept right, and if wrong, to be set right."
-Carl Schurz
Patriotism is open love for country itself, not its leadership or agenda. A patriot is someone who holds love for their country, but does not blindly follow it. A patriot does not hear a cry for war and immediately declare it a crusade. A patriot does not look at a fault in their society and pretend that it's not a problem. A patriot does not act as a cog in a massive machine with no individuality.
If a nationalist sees his nation bomb the hell out of a smaller country on a faulty excuse, he will declare the excuse valid and insult the smaller nation. A patriot who sees this event will question the reasons and analyze the excuse. In a nation like our own, the patriot would be called a traitor, while the nationalist would be called a patriot.
The "patriots" we have in this nation seem to think that patriotism means someone who always wears flag pins, says the pledge every day, blindly follows whatever the government or their political involvement in the government does, never criticizes anything that America does (unless it's by a politician they dislike), and goes to sleep on an American flag pillow. Someone who criticizes the government or doesn't support a military action will be branded a traitor, communist, or my favorite, socialist.
Of course, the five people who see this post might wonder if I myself am a patriot. Because of the use of the word in this nation, I would not want to call myself one; however, if one considers the real meaning, then almost every loyal American would be called a patriot. I'm just a cynical teenager who finds this fake patriotism to be a pile of bull, but I do love my country. And while the pledge or the national anthem never really affected me, there was one moment where I was overcome by love of country.
Last summer, I was with the Boy Scouts up in the Sierras. It was the final night, and the entire camp was gathered up at a little amphitheater, where two fires were burning. The sun had gone down, but there was just enough light in the sky to bathe the forest in blue moonlight. The amphitheater itself glowed orange from the flame.
Up in front of the crowd stood the staff of the camp. They stood at attention, facing the audience, their faces all glowing orange. The entire camp stood up and at attention as four men, carrying two folded flags, approached the stage. Both stopped in between the fires, and the camp director came down off the boulder. He was in his mid-fifties and sported a white beard. He took out a small slip of paper and introduced the flags. The one I saw was from 1994, and had been flown multiple times in different scouting troops. It had been left out in a storm, ripped, and could no longer properly convey the symbol of our nation. And so the flags were unfolded to be presented to us for one final time.
The flag opened. I looked upon it, at all the faded colors and sad holes, all bathed in an eerie orange glow. I brought my hand up to my forehead and saluted, and we all began to recite the pledge of allegiance. Unlike all those times in school when I would blindly recite it, this time my mind held upon every word, and it all stirred up many emotions deep inside me. We then watched as it was lifted up over the fire to be retired. The flag was lowered gently over the flames, which began to lick greedily at the cloth. The dull orange glow turned to a bright yellow beam, and light smoke began to rise as the fire consumed the old flag. As this went on, the camp director began to sing. His song described where our flag has been flown, describing various scenes in battle and in peace. As he sang, a strange feeling came into my heart, one that I knew, but it was stronger than I had ever felt it before. It was love of country. It was pure patriotism for this great nation; it seemed to overcome everything and swallow up the cynicism that I held.
The fire died down, and the flag had been reduced to a pile of ashes. The entire camp then filed out. As I walked down off the rock and watched the orange glow fade into the trees, my emotions shifted back to normal, but I knew that I loved my country.
That is what patriotism is about. Love of country. It's not about flag pins or saying the pledge. It's about loving your country honestly and sensibly.
Following 9/11, there was a surge in patriotism that still lingers to this day. This patriotism allowed such heinous laws like the Patriot act to be passed, and eventually, it allowed the Iraq War to break out. It is something that I personally abhor.
Right or left, people who take this superpatriotic, us above everyone stance really worry me. The problem that I have with patriotism is that it blinds people with nationalistic ideals that overcome all rational thought. I've been called anti-American for not wanting to recite the pledge in school. In the political arena, President Obama was criticized for not wearing a flag pin. People like Michelle Bachmann have called for investigations on who's "anti-American" in congress. Last year, Glenn Beck hosted the 9/12 Rally to Restore Honor in D.C. This rally leeched off of past accomplishments in American history and was a mockery of patriotism. Hell, the entirety of the Tea Party has based much of their ideology on this faux-patriotism.
Something that these "patriots" are failing to recognize is the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism is the love of one's country. Nationalism is the obsession of one's country. These people are not patriots, they are nationalists.
"Our country, right or wrong."
-Stephen Decatur
Nationalism builds up racism. It builds up imperialism. It blinds its followers, wrapped in the flag, and often, religion. A nationalist will have undying love for their country. They will be unresponsive to reason. Historically, nationalist ideologies have been responsible for an endless amount of wars; most notably WWI. WWI was a pointless war fought over a clash of egos. It was fueled by endless nationalism. Another example of nationalism is the Red Scare. The use of irrational fear and the extreme love of America was manipulated to create a political witch hunt.
The people who wrap themselves in the flag and call America God's chosen nation are not patriots. They are nationalists.
"My country right or wrong; if right, to be kept right, and if wrong, to be set right."
-Carl Schurz
Patriotism is open love for country itself, not its leadership or agenda. A patriot is someone who holds love for their country, but does not blindly follow it. A patriot does not hear a cry for war and immediately declare it a crusade. A patriot does not look at a fault in their society and pretend that it's not a problem. A patriot does not act as a cog in a massive machine with no individuality.
If a nationalist sees his nation bomb the hell out of a smaller country on a faulty excuse, he will declare the excuse valid and insult the smaller nation. A patriot who sees this event will question the reasons and analyze the excuse. In a nation like our own, the patriot would be called a traitor, while the nationalist would be called a patriot.
The "patriots" we have in this nation seem to think that patriotism means someone who always wears flag pins, says the pledge every day, blindly follows whatever the government or their political involvement in the government does, never criticizes anything that America does (unless it's by a politician they dislike), and goes to sleep on an American flag pillow. Someone who criticizes the government or doesn't support a military action will be branded a traitor, communist, or my favorite, socialist.
Of course, the five people who see this post might wonder if I myself am a patriot. Because of the use of the word in this nation, I would not want to call myself one; however, if one considers the real meaning, then almost every loyal American would be called a patriot. I'm just a cynical teenager who finds this fake patriotism to be a pile of bull, but I do love my country. And while the pledge or the national anthem never really affected me, there was one moment where I was overcome by love of country.
Last summer, I was with the Boy Scouts up in the Sierras. It was the final night, and the entire camp was gathered up at a little amphitheater, where two fires were burning. The sun had gone down, but there was just enough light in the sky to bathe the forest in blue moonlight. The amphitheater itself glowed orange from the flame.
Up in front of the crowd stood the staff of the camp. They stood at attention, facing the audience, their faces all glowing orange. The entire camp stood up and at attention as four men, carrying two folded flags, approached the stage. Both stopped in between the fires, and the camp director came down off the boulder. He was in his mid-fifties and sported a white beard. He took out a small slip of paper and introduced the flags. The one I saw was from 1994, and had been flown multiple times in different scouting troops. It had been left out in a storm, ripped, and could no longer properly convey the symbol of our nation. And so the flags were unfolded to be presented to us for one final time.
The flag opened. I looked upon it, at all the faded colors and sad holes, all bathed in an eerie orange glow. I brought my hand up to my forehead and saluted, and we all began to recite the pledge of allegiance. Unlike all those times in school when I would blindly recite it, this time my mind held upon every word, and it all stirred up many emotions deep inside me. We then watched as it was lifted up over the fire to be retired. The flag was lowered gently over the flames, which began to lick greedily at the cloth. The dull orange glow turned to a bright yellow beam, and light smoke began to rise as the fire consumed the old flag. As this went on, the camp director began to sing. His song described where our flag has been flown, describing various scenes in battle and in peace. As he sang, a strange feeling came into my heart, one that I knew, but it was stronger than I had ever felt it before. It was love of country. It was pure patriotism for this great nation; it seemed to overcome everything and swallow up the cynicism that I held.
The fire died down, and the flag had been reduced to a pile of ashes. The entire camp then filed out. As I walked down off the rock and watched the orange glow fade into the trees, my emotions shifted back to normal, but I knew that I loved my country.
That is what patriotism is about. Love of country. It's not about flag pins or saying the pledge. It's about loving your country honestly and sensibly.
9/05/2011
Sky Blue Sky
Sporting a muted vibe, soft to crazy guitar solos, and a strange sense of longing, Sky Blue Sky is unlike any other Wilco album. The album is quiet, though it sports a fire that seldom erupts. The lyrics are more straightforward here than anywhere else. Gone are the protools, synthesizers, and chaos. In their place is simple instrumentation and long prog-rock solos. This is truly a dramatic shift for Wilco.
As one would expect, critics were polarized. Some panned it, as they expected wild experimentation, while others lauded it as Wilco’s maturing form. Personally, I don’t care either way. Sky Blue Sky is a good album. It’s not great, but it’s not boring. If anyone wants to judge the album, ignore all the madness from the media outlets and just sit back and listen.
Sky Blue Sky might be mellow, but that doesn't mean it's dull. The music can rise and build to rough heights at whim. This is due to the new guitarist, Nels Cline. Coming from the prog-rock arena, Cline is the most talented guitarist to join the band, though he lacks the songwriting abilities of Jay Bennet. Cline shows off his impressive skills on track three, the gentle Impossible Germany, and on the bluesy Side With the Seeds.
Of course, the dominating force of this album is Jeff Tweedy, the principle songwriter. The songs are driven by Nels Cline, but Tweedy makes them far more ornate than mere folk. The two of them form a kind of partnership, with each taking a different piece of the song. For example, on Impossible Germany, Tweedy dominates the first half with a soft ballad, then turns it over to Nels Cline, who bursts into a three minute solo.
However, Tweedy controls all the words, and he pens lyrics that are completely different from the last three albums. They are incredibly direct and soft, which is very strange coming from a man who once sang a ten minute song about spiders and Lake Michigan. That doesn't mean that they lack emotion. The title track mirrors an earlier Wilco tune, Far Far Away, by showing contemptible relief. The closer is an emotional throwback to Tweedy's childhood, and Hate it Here, which seems to be mere comic relief, shows a deeper understanding of loss. Stripping away the cryptic puzzles Tweedy penned for previous albums, Sky Blue Skyshows him at his core.
Sky Blue Sky also displays Wilco’s wonderful trait of making music that grows with each listen, with Impossible Germany becoming almost as strong as Misunderstood, and the title track as gentle and caring as Far Far Away. Even the weaker songs grow, though none are true masterpieces. The last third of the album seems almost like filler the first few listens, but it grows very well, with the listener often discovering new emotions buried within the songs.
Sky Blue Sky is a great addition to Wilco’s discography, adding a great mellow folk sound to their long list of achievements.
As one would expect, critics were polarized. Some panned it, as they expected wild experimentation, while others lauded it as Wilco’s maturing form. Personally, I don’t care either way. Sky Blue Sky is a good album. It’s not great, but it’s not boring. If anyone wants to judge the album, ignore all the madness from the media outlets and just sit back and listen.
Sky Blue Sky might be mellow, but that doesn't mean it's dull. The music can rise and build to rough heights at whim. This is due to the new guitarist, Nels Cline. Coming from the prog-rock arena, Cline is the most talented guitarist to join the band, though he lacks the songwriting abilities of Jay Bennet. Cline shows off his impressive skills on track three, the gentle Impossible Germany, and on the bluesy Side With the Seeds.
Of course, the dominating force of this album is Jeff Tweedy, the principle songwriter. The songs are driven by Nels Cline, but Tweedy makes them far more ornate than mere folk. The two of them form a kind of partnership, with each taking a different piece of the song. For example, on Impossible Germany, Tweedy dominates the first half with a soft ballad, then turns it over to Nels Cline, who bursts into a three minute solo.
However, Tweedy controls all the words, and he pens lyrics that are completely different from the last three albums. They are incredibly direct and soft, which is very strange coming from a man who once sang a ten minute song about spiders and Lake Michigan. That doesn't mean that they lack emotion. The title track mirrors an earlier Wilco tune, Far Far Away, by showing contemptible relief. The closer is an emotional throwback to Tweedy's childhood, and Hate it Here, which seems to be mere comic relief, shows a deeper understanding of loss. Stripping away the cryptic puzzles Tweedy penned for previous albums, Sky Blue Skyshows him at his core.
Sky Blue Sky also displays Wilco’s wonderful trait of making music that grows with each listen, with Impossible Germany becoming almost as strong as Misunderstood, and the title track as gentle and caring as Far Far Away. Even the weaker songs grow, though none are true masterpieces. The last third of the album seems almost like filler the first few listens, but it grows very well, with the listener often discovering new emotions buried within the songs.
Sky Blue Sky is a great addition to Wilco’s discography, adding a great mellow folk sound to their long list of achievements.
Either Way - 10/10 A very gentle opener. The song is direct and the lyrics meander among possibilities. The song grows slowly, adding instrument after instrument, then slowly shrinks. It's a very beautiful song.
You Are My Face - 10/10 A much fiercer verision of its predecessor. This song begins slowly, adding instrument after instrument. Tweedy brings back the cryptic lyrics, discussing ordinary beehives and screaming doors. The song then builds as Nels Cline takes it over, and one almost expects the fuzzy guitar to be accompanied by saxophones.
Impossible Germany - 11/10 Best song on the album. This song is really two songs, one by Tweedy and one by Cline. Tweedy starts it with a gentle ballad, tying the Axis Powers as a metaphor for confrontation. Then Cline takes it over, starting with a gentle bridge with two guitars repeating a melody. Then one guitar takes over, the other joins in, and the listener is carried through a blissful musical landscape.
Sky Blue Sky - 11/10 A close second for best song. This song finds Tweedy reflecting on a time of depression, one that mirrors an earlier song, Far Far Away. The narrator is watching a parade in a small town, and he longs for something more. But then he realizes that he's alive and well, and that's good enough for now. This song is brilliant, and I love it.
Side With The Seeds - 10/10 A considerably harsher song. Tweedy sings with a foggy emotion, and the song meanders repetitively through a soul-style melody. Then Nels Cline comes in and whisks the song into a chaotic series of screaming guitars.
Shake It Off - 4/10 The clear weakest song. This song took a long time for me to get used to it. It has a repeating melody, crashing guitars, and borders on the annoying. Tweedy sings with a much more muted vioce here, then shouts the title several times. The instruments crash and moan, and the song ends.
Please Be Patient With Me - 10/10 After two noisy tracks, here we have the gentlest song on the album. This song is a quiet speech from one lover to another, with only Tweedy's sad voice, guitar, and bass. The result is a muted and sad tune that stands out on the album.
Hate It Here - 9/10 This is a puzzling song. It sounds like comic relief, as it describes a man learning chores after a breakup, but underneath this there seems to be a much deeper sense of loss and longing. The song is brilliant in this regard. Musically, it's similar to You Are My Face, but it brings in a much jazzier feel for the chorus.
Leave Me Like You Found Me - 8/10 Another gentle song. Upon first glance, I felt that this was dull, with a repetitive style and Tweedy singing like he's reciting a lullaby. But this one grows, as does the album, with each listen. True, it's not a standout track, but it's still a good song.
Walken - 8/10 A much more upbeat song. This song is a gentle piano-driven romp that describes a narrator who is walking along, singing about his lover. This songs seems to be much more optimistic than its predecessor, and it might be the most shallow song here.
What Light - 8/10 Tweedy obviously learned something from Woody Guthrie. Here he sings about popularity and the artistic style, saying that "What was yours is anyone's from now on." The song seems to be set on the concept of a light that drives emotion.
On And On And On - 9/10 A sad piano driven ballad. Tweedy wrote this about the death of his mother when he was a child. It describes a speech his father gave him saying that people are designed to die. The song builds to a climax with strings, guitar, bass, and piano all forming a sort of symphony. Then everything strips away to reveal Tweedy's lone voice. The album ends with that somber note.
Bonus Tracks:
Itunes carries two bonus tracks for the album. Both are phenomenal, and I'll include them in this review.
Bonus Tracks:
Itunes carries two bonus tracks for the album. Both are phenomenal, and I'll include them in this review.
Let’s Not Get Carried Away - 10/10 A loud rocker that describes the resentment that Tweedy feels from being a musician. Tweedy screams with anger in the song, begging the listener to not get carried away. The song is much harsher than the rest of the album.
The Thanks I Get - 11/10 I consider it a crime that this song was cut from the album. A soft folk-rock song, this is a beautiful piece of music. It's simple and catchy, describing a man asking his lover if her actions are the thanks he gets from falling in love. This song is unbelievably good, and as to why Wilco left it off the album, I have no idea.
9/01/2011
Mercator vs Peters
Over the last week, I have been at school, and there is something in my AP English room that is driving me insane. There is a map on the wall called the Peters Map, and on its bottom is a chart showing why it's better than the classic Mercator projection. The mastermind behind it, Arno Peters, designed it as a response to the widely used Mercator. He showed it as a superior alternative, and he pointed out a bunch of errors and biases in the traditional projection.
Unfortunately for Mr. Peters, two wrongs do not make a right.
For in his effort to make a map better than the Mercator map, he made a map just as awful. The distortion of the Mercator map expands the north, and it makes the entire globe look top-heavy. Peters responded to this by making the distortion in the north minimize its size while blowing up the equator and stretching it. The result is this:
This was made as a response to this:
Here's the main problem with these maps. Any cartographer knows that there is no way to make a flat world projection without creating massive distortion. Any map, no matter how accurate, will never be as good as a globe. However, the best maps are those that have the least distortion.
The Mercator map is flawed because its authors wanted it to be distorted. This map is so unbelievably biased towards the north that it overwhelms everything else. According to Mercator, North America is larger than Africa, Greenland is nearly endless, and Scandinavia is larger than Australia. It is fairly obvious why someone from the Age of Exploration would want this bias. It makes Europe look more important than the rest of the world, thus making the explorers feel special.
The Peters map is flawed because Mr. Peters wanted it to be the opposite of Mercator. Peters shrunk down the poles and expanded the equator. The result is an unbelievably stretched map that simply looks off. According to Peters, Africa is the same size as Asia, and South America is larger than North America. It is so flawed that it's essentially equal to Mercator.
There is one main reason why both of these maps are so incredibly off. Look up at the grid lines on them. These maps are on flat grids. Every latitude and longitude line meets in perpendicular intersections. It is impossible to create a map based upon these settings that does not look incredibly distorted.
So why is this map still sitting on the wall of my AP English class? Why does the Mercator map still hang on the walls of half of my middle school classrooms? Why do people still use Mercator and Peters, and why is there still a debate between both camps?
Tradition. Mercator's been used for centuries. Peters directly challenges it. For anyone who looks at maps with the even grid, there are two choices. Peters is the politically correct one, and Mercator is the traditional one. Which one would you choose?
Personally, I prefer this one:
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