This is so great. My friend from Japan was here this week and showed it to me. They convinced some small children that there was a zombie in the town and they had to defend the house. I love seeing what the kids came up with and seeing the zombie get caught in every boobytrap. It's like Zombies + Home Alone + Japan. My favorite part is the letter he sends to the kids. "I'm Coming Soon. Sincerely, Zombie".

Great line.

Fixing Errors

I took it upon myself to fix some errors that I have noticed.


I refuse to live in a world where Taro Gomi gets away with lying. We all know girls don't poop.



Enough is enough.

Thai Music Thus Far

Inspired by Grish's post, I decided to post again about Thai music.

I posted a while ago about what music's like in Thailand but I've been here far longer and now I have a better idea of how it really is. The most important thing I've discovered is a genre or music called Isan. Isan is the rural territory to the far North and East in Thailand and has it's own style of righteous jams. I've included one song that I absolutely love. It's called "อย่างนี้มันต้องถอน" which sounds like "yong ni mon dtong tawn" and translates into something about having to drink in the morning to get over a hangover. When I first heard the song, I loved it. Then I found out what it's about and I loved it more. Then finally I saw the music video and it wasn't possible to love this song any more than I did. There's really no end to the great things about this video. The visual effects, the singers appearance and mannerisms and air-guitaring to his own song, the rapid-fire karaeoke thai, the FUCKING DANCERS! It's almost too much!

อย่างนี้มันต้องถอน

I'll also include our second favorite song which is another great sing-a-long. I'm not sure of the name of this one but as far as I'm concerned it's just "Doo doo doo". It's a solid reggae tune with a solid reggae singer. The chorus is "look, look, look (that's the doo doo doo), how can you do that to me?"

ดูดู่ดู้

Also, I'm not sure how to embed the videos right on to the page, how do you do that?

doo doo doo,
j

Music of 2009: Halfway progress report

So (I guess) 2009 is roughly halfway over. To break the posting drought, I decided to follow what a few blogs I read have done and do a "favorite music of the first half of 2009" post. Enjoy, and I encourage others to do similar posts. Here's what I'm grooving on.

Best album of 2009
Animal Collective - Meriweather Post Pavillion

Not much else to say, other than nothing has topped it yet.

Favorite album at the all-star break
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!



This may not be the best album of the year, but so far, I have listened to it the most and believe YYY have done something amazing with Blitz -- changing (or least modifying) genres successfully, while maintaining the original spirit of the band. "Zero," "Heads Will Roll" and "Dull Life" are Fever-era YYY jams, and songs like "Skeletons" and "Soft Shock" highlight their new sound. I doubt that I personally will like any '09 album as much as this one. It also has an awesome cover.

Album I don't understand why people like
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

I will admit to not giving this much of a chance, but after listening to a handful of songs I immediately said "fuck this." I can sum their sound up like this -- it's like Bjork (whom I love) with a band. For some reason I cannot stand it.

Disappointment of the first half
Handsome Furs - Face Control, Wavves - Wavvves

I loved Wolf Parade side project Handsome Furs' first record, so much so, I still listen to it today. But their 2009 showing did/does nothing for me. It's hard to put my finger on why -- they sound similar, there are a few very good songs -- but it makes me sad I don't love it like Plague Park.

One of the most divisive releases I can remember has been Wavvves. This super lo-fi, feedback-y, noise pop album seemed right up my alley. I was sold once I heard "So Bored" and excited about the album. But boy does that shit get old after three songs. The "production" isn't good lo-fi, it just sounds lazy/shitty. And I guess that's the point? Either way, this isn't Vivian Girls (or other good lo-fi bands), who can actually write a catchy song.

The boner award (for "grower" of 1/2 of '09)
Dan Deacon - Bromst

I won't say I don't like Bromst -- there are some really rad songs -- but I can say I think it will only get better as the year rolls on. The shit is complex, layered sounds upon layered sounds, with songs taking 6+ minutes to build up to an epic explosion. I like it right now, but I bet I will love it come December.

Slayinist riffage of 50% 2009
2:12 - 2:54, "Divinations" off Crack the Skye

Seriously. If we lived in 1986, Mastodon would be bigger than Metallica.

Most badass lyric(s) of .5 2009
Major Lazer - "Lazer Theme"

"Me and my motherfucking gun stay smoking."

Assorted summer jams

Grizzly Bear - "While You Wait for the Others"
Just a really, really great song off a very good album.

Major Lazer - "Hold the Line"
It's no secret I love all things Santogold, and she's featured on this crazy song, which samples a horse neigh and is totally great.

Sunset Rubdown - "Idiot Heart"
This song is Krug canon as far as I am concerned. It builds so well -- going from slightly reigned in, to off the rails over it's six minutes -- and is one of my favorite songs to sing to in the car. "I hope that you die/With a decent pair of shoes" is also a great lyric.

Super Mash Bros. - "Bruce Willis Was Dead The Whole Time"
Great title aside, this mashup -- bringing Lil Wayne's "A Milli" and that song they play at sports stadiums all the time which no one knows the name of -- is fucking genius. The album is free and highly recommended.



Peaches - "Show Stopper"
Her 2009 release came and went pretty quietly and I liked it, but this song is the definition of a jam. Her style (overtly sexual rapping); she's still got it.

Dan Deacon - "Build Voice"
Ever since I saw the video of him programming a player piano to play the riff on this song, I was hooked on it. The song tells you all you need to know about the album -- it's crazy/good.

Death of a hero

For all his "character flaws" (to put it softly), the King of Pop is now dead and the world of music a little emptier. He hasn't been relevant in a while and was/is one creepy motherfucker, but, in the immortal words of Dave Chappelle:



Enjoy this video of the great one versus the great one in a game of ball.



So moonwalk into heaven Jacko. Your music will live on forever.

Birth of a Hero