Random Thoughts: Year Ender, Part II: The Fire Rises

Welcome back to my year end celebration! It really isn't so much a celebration as much as it is a bunch of blogs in rapid succession. And there really isn't much tying them together, except for the "Part I" or "Part II" in the title. Heck, there may be a "Part III" but I bet it's still only loosely connected to the first two (aside from my raving wit, charming sarcasm, and undeniable good looks). Get on with it, I hear you exclaim, and so I shall! (Oh, and if you've just come for talk about The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit trailers, just skip down past the clip from The Daily Show.)

—Last week, in a shameless, cowardly act, Congress passed the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act, which has a few provisions causing a bit of unrest. What provisions, you ask? Sections 1021 and 1022, which make it a-OK to detain anyone, including American citizens (why the big stink over Americans and not anyone else? Because! That's why!), without trial, indefinitely. IF they get themselves caught as part of a group associated with, or maybe might've supported terrorism. We don't get specifics here, which is the scariest part. I'm not one for conspiracies, but we've seen a metric shit-ton of liberties taken away since 9/11. This has happened under both Presidents Bush and Obama. Who'd have thought that Barack would have as bad a record on civil liberties as Dubya? For more info on the NDAA, check this out and read up on it yourself (always, always, ALWAYS research!).

—To continue with a bit of negativity (I want to get it out early), a television show, All-American Muslim, has come under fire from the supremely bigoted group, Florida Family Association. Lowe's pulled advertising, and more recently, so has Kayak. You see, Muslims are evil and poisoning the rest of 'Murica. Bet you didn't know that (unless you watch FOX News). The AV Club has a good write-up about it, but Jon Stewart and The Daily Show crew really said it best:

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—And for my last politically-tinged bit, we have this letter from America's port truck drivers. See, last week, the Occupy movement occupied Seattle's ports amongst many others. They shutdown business, essentially. The letter is an incredible read that puts on display the underhanded, disturbing, disgusting, profits-first/people-last, mentality of, at the very least, those companies in control of shipping. It shouldn't come as a surprise, because hey, if you can take advantage of people who need a job and can't afford to be unemployed or on unemployment, why not? That's the free market, baby, that's capitalism. No, excuse me, that's corporatism. When those corporations hold the same rights as you and me? I say bullshit. And good on the truck drivers AND the Occupy movement!

—Now that all of that is out of the way, let's get onto the juicy, movie tidbits! First up? Of course, Batman! Where would this blog be without Batman? Rotting in Arkham Asylum, most likely. So, what happened with Bats, besides that prologue? How about the release of the trailer? Watch it now because I'll be diving deep into it:



Let me say up front I feel that this is much more of an extended teaser than a full-on trailer. Maybe my expectations were a bit high for the first trailer (how couldn't they be after this from 4 years ago?).

And again, fair warning: What I say here may be spoilers. I don't know, because I've kept myself as in the dark as possible regarding this movie. It's really all just speculation.

Our old pal, Bruce Wayne, has grey hairs. More importantly than that, he's using a cane in a lot of his scenes (a lot but not all). You all know what Bane did to Batman in the comics? He broke the Batman's back. I imagine one might need a cane after that.

Is there an Occupy Gotham? Selina Kyle seems to be implying a revolution against the rich, in an incredibly sultry, awesome delivery. I can't wait to see more of her.

The football field could stand some polishing. I'm not worried about it right now. Bane's voice doesn't bother me either, as I haven't had much problem understanding him, but I get the criticisms.

Bane's one single line in the trailer: "When Gotham is...ashes, you have my permission to die." Bad. Ass. Intentional or not, I love that his mask, if you squint, resembles the luchadore mask he's known for in the comics. And it's also an inversion of Batman's mask: mouth covered, face mostly revealed.

What is that stair room? At first I thought the Batcave. Then I thought flashbacks to Bruce's training with the League of Shadows, but it can't be, because he's sporting greys. So now I have no idea.

I fully intend on going much further in depth in a later post, which will include the prologue.

—And lastly (for this post, anyways), Tuesday saw the premiere of the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Take a gander!



Now, tell me you didn't get chills when you heard Sméagol's voice. Wonderful tease there, especially with the addition of The Ring's theme. This is exactly the sort of trailer I love to see: characters introduced, a taste of the plot ("I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure..."), and some serious foreboding. And how good was it to see Gandalf the Grey again? He's easily my favorite character from the movies and was sorely missed in the latter parts of Lord of the Rings. I'm feeling good about Martin Freeman as young Bilbo, especially since, when not watching the trailer, I had trouble distinguishing the transition from Ian Holm and to Mr. Freeman. As an unabashed nerd who just received the Extended Edition LotR trilogy on Blu-Ray, a year is too far.

—Well, this wraps up Part II of my neverending Year Ender! I hope you've enjoyed it, as there will be more to come after the holidays but before the new year. I know for sure I'll be talking about Ridley Scott's debut teaser for his Alien prequel, Prometheus, and I can see a mention of the late Christopher Hitchens. What else have I got? I don't know! I'll surprise you!

Until next time, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Winter Solstice, etc., etc., and so on and so forth!

Random Thoughts: Year Ender, Part I

After a lengthy, unexplainable absence, I'm back! Complete with Random Thoughts, too, in case you were sick without them. If so, please see a doctor. There are side effects, but I'd rather not get into them here. That said, let's get into Random Thoughts:

—The marketing of my pet project with British up-and-comer Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises, has finally moved into second gear with poster number dos:

Let's take a moment to discuss the badassery of this, shall we? First of all, it's badass. Incredibly so. The shattered cowl goes right along with the comic book tale of Bane, the Bat-Breaker. It also reemphasizes this will be the final piece of Nolan's Bat-trilogy (as if the teaser trailer wasn't enough). But it offers something beyond the teaser's text ("Every Legend Has an End," "The Epic Conclusion..."): that shattered cowl. Is this Batman's end, too?

—I'm not sure how long the smartphone has existed, but I'll finally have one this Christmas: the iPhone 4S. What am I most looking forward to, you (didn't) ask? Siri. And hopefully the ability to rename her Jarvis and get her to speak with a male English accent. Also, the ability to grow a goatee and be a billionaire playboy with an ass-kicking iron suit. That'd be the ideal iPhone package.

—No Shave November has transitioned into Don't Stop December. I'm at nearly two months with my beard; I started with a completely shaved face back in October. I'm pretty much OK with it. My only problem? When I wear my hair down, everyone calls me Jesus. Instead of explaining that if Jesus existed, he'd have been brown all around, I'm going to start replying, "Yes, my child?" and ask for your love, devotion, and souls.

—Speaking of Jesus Christo, did you guys see Rick Perry's "Strong" ad? I'm not going to link to it here, but here's the transcript of the 30-second commercial:

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian, but you don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.As president, I’ll end Obama’s war on religion. And I’ll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.

Do I need to point out the ridiculous bigotry on display here, the absurd, revisionist view that America was founded as a Christian nation when it clearly was not, or can we all just sit back and laugh at the insanity that is Rick Perry? I almost feel bad for the Republican party. They have no one likable enough, smart enough, or charismatic enough to come close to beating President Obama (I'm not counting Ron Paul among them since he's a Libertarian in Republican clothing).

—Appropriately enough, here's Jesus' response to Rick Perry:

Jesus Responds to Rick Perry's "Strong" Ad from DC Pierson      

Should any of Jesus' claims about Rick Perry frighten or disturb you, I encourage you to research Rick Perry and the execution of not just the mentally handicapped, but also of the potentially innocent. You won't have to search too hard.

—You all didn't think I was done writing about The Dark Knight Rises, did you? Of course I wasn't! Because last week, Christopher Nolan and wife/producer Emma Thomas (both of whom I could've reached out and touched on set) showed the 6/7 minute prologue to the film to select filmmakers and film critics (there will also be a free early showing Tuesday night in select IMAX theaters). The response is, as expected, incredibly positive, with one consistent criticism: Bane's voice. Turns out, he's hard to understand (I think this is a theme for the Nolan Batman movies). Hopefully Mr. Nolan hears this criticism (unless it's a point to make Bane hard to hear) and fixes this before release in July. Or before the trailer (hopefully later this month).

—The lady and I just finished watching season 1 of Game of Thrones, or as we've called it, Incest of Thrones, Game of Incest, Incest Thrones, and Awesome. Now, I tend to be the nerdy, geeky one in the relationship, so I wasn't expecting her to really get into it too much. That said, I'd like to share my favorite of the texts I received from her while I was at work and she was watching it: "OMG if you watch 8 you can go to bed, but if you watch 9 you HAVE to watch 10!" Needless to say, if you haven't watched the show, get to it. We'll be reading the books soon, so one day, I'll tell you about them.

—My old home state is stupid and cruel. This is very clearly not a helpful situation. What does killing these breeds accomplish? Nothing. Because the people who train those types of dogs to be vicious and mean will be able to do that with any dog. And what happens when a more cuddly dog starts to pick up that reputation? The problem is not the dogs, it's the people raising and training them. It's sickening.

—But to end on a positive note, and give a big middle finger to Cumberland County, a pit bull saved a woman and her toddler from a potentially violent mugging. In case you're too lazy and/or scared to click the link, a mother and child were leaving a playground when a man with a knife approached her. This dog came out of no where and started growling and baring its teeth at this tool bag, who, like the superstitious and cowardly lot he is, ran off. The lady didn't know the dog, but it stayed with her until the cops came. If no one claims the dog, she plans on adopting it. Awesome.

—I have plenty more to say, and so I will, but in Part II. It'll definitely have more Batman. Maybe I'll have some of those Year End Lists people love. Maybe it'll be more topical, featuring the absurdity of President Obama and Congress passing the NDAA. Who knows?! Well, I do, but soon you will too!

Random Thoughts: The "Proud To Be An American" Edition

Amigos! I bring to you a special edition of Random Thoughts, the 'Murican edition! Make no mistake, this will be snarky, sarcastic, and in its own way, patriotic. Because what says patriot more than sitting at a desk, typing at a computer made by children in the third world (huzzah Apple!)?

—The 99% movement, or Occupy Wall Street, or Occupy America, or whatever you want to call it, is really being put to the test. In the last few days and weeks, we've seen raids on the tent cities in Oakland, SoCal, Portland, and earlier this week, in New York City. Despite a general lack of coverage (or shitty, biased coverage when there is) on mainstream news channels, the Occupy movement is growing. Seriously, no city is too small for it. Last week, while visiting friends in Raleigh, NC, we stumbled upon the Occupy Raleigh protests. They're everywhere and that's exciting. It's this sort of demonstration that excites me, much like when Madison, WI was occupied by citizens tired of their corrupt governor and officials. Folks are finally remembering their first amendment rights and finding that freedom of speech, freedom to peaceably assemble, isn't quite so simple when the 1% is ordering parks evicted, SWAT teams to raid encampments, and forcing hundreds, if not thousands, to leave their personal belongings and property behind to be trashed (which is exactly what happened early Tuesday morning at Wall Street).

—I'm sure I'll come back around to the protests, but here's another little something worth paying attention to: Mind Reading: What We Can Learn From the Dutch About Teen Sex. I've mentioned in the past America's over-reactions to sex in media, while being a-OK with violence, and this article speaks to that (well, to the sex, not the violence). Sex is such a taboo, parents won't/can't/don't talk to their kids about it openly and teenage pregnancies are through the roof. Is it really that much of a surprise when "abstinence only" education is in place? Or when Sex Ed is boycotted by religious groups? We have a youth that is being told to believe sex is something they can't have, that's dangerous, so of course they want it. Of course they're going to dive into it. And they're doing it without education, without understanding it. The longer that goes on, the longer we're going to see huge numbers of teenage pregnancies and abortions and STDs amongst those of us just entering sexual maturity. Sex shouldn't be a taboo. It should be respected and discussed, with younger-than-me folks. Because gorram it, they are going to get down and dirty regardless. May as well make it so they aren't ashamed, embarrassed, and uneducated about it.

—To get someone else's take on the Occupy protests, let's turn to comic book legend, Frank Miller:

"“Occupy” is nothing but a pack of louts, thieves, and rapists, an unruly mob, fed by Woodstock-era nostalgia and putrid false righteousness."

 I highly recommend you take a gander at the entire rant, because it's absurd. More than anything, I feel bad for Mr. Miller, whose fame exists because of the rapists and louts he's deriding. There's no denying the man was talented. He did things with Batman that genuinely revolutionized the character. Same with Daredevil. His runs on those series' are among the best in the business. But, much like Alan Moore, Frank Miller has gone nuts. He sounds paranoid and a good bit like the ever-present talking heads from The Dark Knight Returns. I don't know where he's been getting his information about the protests (I imagine FOX), but he's totally unaware that some of the protestors themselves are veterans, whether from Iraq and Afghanistan or Vietnam, Korea, and World War II. The man deserves all the negative attention he gets from this. Hopefully it'll keep him from writing another All-Star Batman & Robin.

—You all remember how Bank of America was going to start charging their members a monthly fee to use debit cards? Well, they dropped that plan. But mostly because they didn't need the money. Turns out, they've been getting it directly from the most well-off among us: the unemployed! Apparently, 41 states (that's out of 50, for those keeping count) have deals in place with major banks when it comes to allowing the unemployed to collect their benefits. Said deals allow the banks to charge a ridiculous amount for citizens to withdraw their benefits. Very classy, very stand-up work from some of the nation's largest banks. Nothing really screams 'Murica to me more than corporate greed, screwing the citizens, and big banks and governments in bed together.

—I don't know what to make of American Horror Story. My problem right now is that I'm expecting sense, logic, and consistency. This show is pulpy and over-the-top. The sooner I make amends with that and accept what it is, not what it could be (I have the same problem with the Star Wars prequels), I'm sure I'll enjoy it more. Are any of you watching it? What do you all think of it?

—Here's a great read a friend of mine on thefacebook shared during the week. It's by the former chief of police in Seattle, Norm Stamper, and he's examining the paramilitarizing (that is not a word) of the American police force and how that affected his response to the World Trade Organization protests in the '90s to the police response now, with Occupy Wall Street. He makes a plethora of great points about not just how police are responding, but why they are responding in this way. Mr. Stamper isn't the only former policeman unhappy with how things are playing out, and how the police are being played and portrayed: Retired Captain Ray Lewis of Philadelphia found himself in a pair of handcuffs for his own civil disobedience. There's also World War II veteran, Murray Gittelman, who also protested the Vietnam war. In Oakland, there's ex-marine Scott Olsen, who was hospitalized after police in Oakland fired either a tear gas canister or a rubber bullet that struck him in the head. My point? These protestors aren't the dirty, jobless hippies our wonderful media has been portraying them as. This is a group of people, all ages, races, occupations, and backgrounds, coming together because they recognize a broken system. Whether you agree or disagree with them, if you're reading this blog, odds are you're part of the 99% and they're fighting for you. I don't want to preach about this, so I'll leave you with this (and kudos to whomever created it, anonymous internet!):

Random Thoughts, Now with Extra Random!

OK, so that title's deceptive—nothing here will be extra random. It's all right in line with my other "Random Thoughts": Nerdy things, whether TV, movies, comics, books, etc. This time, it might be a tidbit less nerdy. No, scratch that, I've got The Avengers trailer to discuss. It'll be pretty nerdy.

—The oft dreamt of movie follow-up to the incredible TV series Arrested Development may be happening. When I first heard about the Bluth family reunion, I was understandably enthused. Here we have every major character from the show saying they are on-board and want it to happen. We have creator Mitchell Hurwitz telling us he has a story for not just a movie, but also 9 or so additional episodes that would lead into the movie, each focusing on where a different character has been (smart). But then I talked to a more tempered friend, who's been burned before. Every 6 months or so, we do get new rumors about this movie, ever since it went off the air. It was apparently a sure thing that the show would move to Showtime. Clearly, none of this has happened. And even after the reunion, we're still at that phase where a schedule needs to be set, a studio needs to greenlight it, etc. There is no guarantee. As much as I want to freak out and be overjoyed, I realize the tempered approach is the way to go here. Hopefully it happens, and we get another 9 episodes and a 2ish hour long movie.

—Aaaaand just because I like to group similar things together (or split them up by one random entry—seriously, go back and check my other "Random Thoughts," I do this all the time), my ladyfriend and I are working our way through Arrested Development. To say the writing of this show makes me feel small isn't saying enough. The layering, the referencing, the foreshadowing...I would take a class on the writing of Arrested Development that started at 6 a.m. and went for 3 hours with no break every morning. But it's not just the writing, it's also the set design—an episode after the whole lesson teaching (where George teaches the kids a lesson about leaving a note when they use the last of the milk), we see hanging on the fridge a note from George-Michael about using the last of the milk. COME ON! These people knew what the hell they were doing and it makes for multiple, enjoyable rewatches.

—Keeping with TV, I just started watching Breaking Bad last week. As of today, I just finished season 3. More than anything, I'm embarrassed it took me this long to start watching. I'm loving every moment of the transformation of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman into different people. More than anything, I want to like Walt and Jesse and Skylar and Hank and Marie, but I can't. They're all bad people! They do a lot to make me like them, but then go and flush all that goodwill away. Me, I'm liking Gus and Mike. Those guys are badass. There's genuine tension, and for that, I'm glad I have it all on Netflix and don't have to wait a week for the next episode. One of my favorite aspects, from a technique/craft standpoint, is the up from underneath shot. Now, that's not a good description, but they've been doing it since season 1. It can be from up through the bottom of a pot, a tray, a vat, whatever. It's awesome. What I really appreciate is how they don't even attempt to glorify drug dealing or manufacturing. The show is brutal about it, in fact, whether the consequences, the struggle to sell, or even just making crystal meth, this is not a pretty show.

—Have you seen Drive yet? No? Then do it. Now. Go to moviefone, or wherever, find the next showtime, and go watch one of the best movies of the last several years. Don't be fooled by the trailers; this is NOT a fast cars, crazy chases, lots of heists kind of movie. It's wonderfully quiet, a subtle, beautifully crafted character study. Ryan Gosling astonishes as the Driver (a man with no name...) who gets tangled in some dangerous stuffs. Honestly, if you are a fan of film (i.e. don't believe the Transformer films are worth their weight in box office profits), if you enjoy subtlety, and quiet, compelling characters, check this out. Buy it on blu-ray or laserdisk or whatever. Just go and support it, because movies like this, nowadays, are rare and wonderful little gems. And keep in mind the story of the scorpion and the frog.

—I finally decided on my Halloween costume: Nurse Joker. Yup, I'll be wearing a cute little nurse's dress. Now, I'm a nerdy nerdnerd, so I'm slightly bothered that it won't be screen accurate (my dress will be a button-up instead of zipper-up, and the belt he has on in the movie is only made in the UK), but nerds like me are few and far between. I've been wanting to do this costume since 2008, when The Dark Knight came out, so I'm pumped to get around to it. Trust, blog-reading amigos, there will be pictures. From the application of the scars, to each layer of makeup. It'll rival my Wolverine costume, I promise.

—Saturday, I'm going to the New York Comic Con. Expect a whole blog all about it. Picture heavy. Maybe video heavy, too, if I can manage to get into The Avengers panel. I managed to sneak onto the floor Thursday, but was sans camera. Needless to say, it looks awesome down there. Can't wait to harass some favorite artists and writers. AMC's The Walking Dead panel looks informative, too, but I'm still going to be apprehensive about the new season, with the dumping of Frank Darabont. New footage will be shown, along with the cast and remaining creators. It'll be pretty rad just to be there, even if the season doesn't turn out as well as the first. Which reminds me! I realize we dropped the ball in a most dramatic fashion, but with the new season kicking off Sunday, expect to see a revival of Among the Walking Dead.

—And now, friends, behold, the trailer for The Avengers! Watch it now if you haven't, because I'm about to dive into it, nerd-like.



First off, YESYESYES. That scene with Cap giving Tony Stark hell? That's the dynamic I wanted to see. That's the dynamic that needs to be there, between the greatest hero America has ever seen and the biggest playboy in the Marvel universe. What I wanted to see more of was Thor with those two. But it was just a trailer so there's no reason to be worried just yet. You know what did get me even more pumped about the movie? Seeing Iron Man flying through the skyscrapers of New York City. I understand the reason Jon Favreau moved Tony Stark to Los Angeles, but there's still something supremely, nerdly satisfying about seeing Iron Man in his city. On top of that, we get a shot of the Quinjet, Loki being a d-bag, lots of explosions, Black Widow looking supremely hot, a brief bit of Hawkeye, and at long last, the Hulk. Another dynamic I really look forward to seeing is that of Bruce Banner and Tony Stark, two geniuses of the Marvel universe. So overall, I'm excited. I'm stoked. Joss Whedon is a master of ensembles, and I'm hoping to see a bit more come the panel tomorrow night.

All right! I've got a busy rest of the month ahead of me, but I'll get to stepping on the NYCC post, and some video game reviews (Gears of War 3 and Batman: Arkham City). Until then, amigos!

A (Not So) Random Review: blink-182's Neighborhoods

I was 12, maybe 13, when What's My Age Again? took over MTV and the radio. Within a year, I had a bass guitar, a copy of "Enema of the State," and more tabs than you could shake a redwood at. I tried to start a band, with friends Zac and Drew. We, or at least I, wanted to be blink. I wanted to be Mark—I started spiking my hair, playing my bass as low to the ground as possible, even ran around naked. More than anything else at that time, blink-182 defined me. Besides my sideburns, I mean, scraggly, unkempt things though they were. And in spite of the shit I get from friends (from high school to college, bandmates to gaming buddies, hipster classmates to roommates), I won't let them go (the color scheme of this blog? The white, pink, tealish blue and black? Straight off the artwork of their self-titled album). They are my favorite band. Doesn't mean they're the best band I've ever heard but I enjoy them more than any other group...period.

This album is a long time coming. As such, so is this review. Last summer, I took a crack at "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket," which was, admittedly, a biased review. I can't subjectively look at/listen to that album without remember that time in my life. "Neighborhoods" is different. I'm a wee bit older, a smidge more mature, and a tad more cynical (OMG just like the guys in blink!!@!1!).

I want to take this review song-by-song. At the end, I'll wrap it up like a beautiful, baby burrito. So if you don't want to read all of this (and there is a lot), just skip down to the bottom for my overall thoughts of the album.

Ghost on the Dance Floor
What an excellent way to open. And what an excellent way to open the opener: It fades in, with Travis doing what he does best on the drums, then introduces a bit of synth (not too new to blink, but more associated with AVA), and then a barebones guitar line. It's like a reintroduction. By the time Mark comes in, you know it's a blink song: driving, simple bass backed by drums that are distinctly Barker's, accompanied by a guitar that is strung-out just enough. It's grandiose to a point, and then tempered by Travis and Mark. Please pay attention to the little bits that Travis is doing on the verses. The dude knows how to add that little bit extra without drawing in all the focus. Speaking of, hearing Mark back Tom during the verse/pre-chorus got me excited. There's no other song on the album that gets you hyped to listen quite like this one. And how about that ending? With that ending, it easily could've been the last song on the album. The break into the last chorus is chaotic and fun and leads wonderfully into...

Natives
The reviews I've read all compare Natives to M+M's from "Cheshire Cat," but they're a good bit wrong. See, Natives has an urgency and a tension right from the start (it pervades the entire song), in large part to Travis' drumming and Mark's guttural bass line. Both keep the guitar (which is where the comparison to M+M's comes from) from feeling upbeat or easy going. When Tom's strained vocals come in, it pushes the tension and feels paranoid. The lyrics aren't uplifting and nothing relents until Mark's chorus. And even then, it's not necessarily relenting. Because it's still angry and the urgency remains throughout, pushed along by the drumming and vocals. It works well here, to the point where I actually thought the intro was a continuation to Ghost on the Dancefloor.

Up All Night
I reviewed Up All Night when it first came out back in July, so I won't dwell here too much. I was cautiously optimistic and I stand by my original opinion—it's a good blink song. And it's still awesome to hear Mark and Tom trading vocals during the verse. However, as a part of the album, this song goes from good to better than good, but not quite great. The song has grown on me like a beard, and in context, as part of an album, it works that much more. It fits the tone set by the first two songs, and carries it on: this album, this blink-182, is a bit heavier. And that's a good thing (more on why when I'm making that baby burrito at the end).

After Midnight
If you don't pay too much attention to the lyrics, this song comes off as a sweet, love-songy type. But there's a definite melancholy. It sounds like a song about a couple right at the edge of a break-up, especially during the verses. The chorus follows suit, but is more focused on just how they deal in the moment. It's sad, but not heartbreaking. This is apparently lined up as the next single, and I hear why. I've always appreciated when Mark and Tom split the verse and chorus, much like in Feeling This, where they're clearly singing about the same subject but from two distinct and different points of view. After Midnight encapsulates that.

Snake Charmer
This one's a little nugget of awesome. First off, I love what Mark's doing on bass. And I love the minimalist styling of the verses, which just stand to make the choruses that much more powerful and fun. The break is particularly full of rockin', with Mark providing vocals that just click, and Tom throwing out lines as they build to the last chorus. Solid, solid, track.

Heart's All Gone Interlude/Heart's All Gone
If anything will convince you that the blink-182 of yore is forgotten, it's the interlude. OK, maybe not as much as The Fallen Interlude from "blink-182," but it's decidedly not blink-ish. And if anything is going to make you think the blink-182 of yore is still around, it's Heart's All Gone. It's super fast, with vocals more strained than we're used to from Mark. In that way, it's a lot like "Dude Ranch"—fast, frenetic. Except, as per the rest of this album, the lyrics are heavier than anything you'd hear on "Dude Ranch," and decidedly less uplifting and feel-goody. Once again, pay attention to Travis, this time in the chorus. Dude rocks hard. I prefer this song live, with Mark and Tom trading lines in the verse. Again, it's reminiscent of "Dude Ranch," particularly Pathetic, which is a very good thing.

Wishing Well
Is Tom singing about his departure from blink? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it's Tom's most open song on the album. The song benefits from the honesty ("I'm a little bit shy, a bit strange and a little bit manic" Tom sings before super catchy la da da's kick in. Seriously, they stay with you). The song is one of the catchier, if not the catchiest, on the album. Even in spite of self-conscious, uncertain lyrics. As per the usual, the final chorus brings the energy just a bit higher, in this case with an extra guitar thrown in.

Kaleidoscope
This one I tend to skip. It doesn't click for me and I couldn't really tell you why. OK, I probably can: I don't like the start, with Mark coming in. It's off-putting to me. If they had cut out just that bit, and kept just the bare intro into the little piano bit and then the verse, I think it'd be a stronger song. Which drives me crazy, because I prefer Mark's voice on this song than I do on Heart's All Gone. In fact, beyond the intro, I don't mind the song. I just really think it could've started a lot stronger and been more appealing minus Mark in the intro.

This Is Home
First thing I thought of when this song came on was the '80s. Between the synth and the drum clap, this feels like some sort of hybrid of The Cure and blink. I dig that the guitar is going throughout the verse because it's a cool little line. Lyrically, this one is all about remembering the pit, going to shows and having a riot. Folks who didn't really like Tom's vowel-elongation that really blew up in AVA will probably be turned off by the chorus, which sees a good bit of it. I could stand to have a bit less of it, but let it go because of the heart behind the last line of the chorus, "Because this is home." I really Tom believes what he's singing, not that he just wrote some lyrics to go with a cool hook.

MH 4.18.2011
Here's another darker (lyrically) song masked by pop-punkier, uptempo music. I don't really know what to make of this one. It doesn't offend my senses but it doesn't send out any sparks, either. It's a fine listen, just not particularly exciting to me.

Love Is Dangerous
Another one that could be out of the '80s. Tom has primary vocals here, but Mark is singing along with the entire verse, which makes for a really cool harmony. This is one of those songs where I'm glad they're back together because their vocals work together. Especially in the chorus, where Tom's singing one thing and Mark another. It was a good touch having Mark's lines come in in the second chorus. Another good guitar line, and synth line, too. This is the regular edition's ending, which makes me appreciate the fade out even more, since Ghost on the Dancefloor fades in (I like cyclical! Or parallel. Whatever you want to call it, I like it).

Fighting the Gravity
Here's the biggest departure from the blink-182 of the '90s and '00s. It's the most experimental of the album. It doesn't really fit on here, so I understand leaving it off. It's not one I've listened to very much. But if you're in the mood for something spacey, dark, and resonating, put on some good headphones and listen.

Even If She Falls
Remember above where I said Love Is Dangerous was a good closer? So is this. Particularly with the delivery of the first verse and chorus. It's more spoken than outright singing. Until the second verse, where it becomes more singing. Now, that may sound weird, but that's just because I'm bad at describing. It's a more subtle song, more in line with Love Is Dangerous and Wishing Well, but not quite as '80s as them. Again, I love the little bits that Travis is doing during the chorus.

Overall
The first half of the album is fucking solid. I'm still on the fence about Heart's All Gone, but even so, it works incredibly well with the first half of the album. I find the first five songs (Ghost on the Dancefloor through Snake Charmer) to be the strongest part of the album. Even on the slower songs (After Midnight), the album's pace remains intact. Wishing Well takes us in a different direction and it's here that the pace falters, that the guys seem a bit more unsure. It's like they weren't sure which way they wanted it to go, so they alternated between two different types of songs (Wishing Well, Love Is Dangerous, Even If She Falls vs Kaleidoscope, MH 4.18.2011).

Now, blink-182 has never been known for its lyrical content, and that's still dead. There are some really heavy-handed lines sprinkled throughout, some that probably sounded like a great idea but just didn't translate well. But if you listen to blink, you know that and you expect that. Some of the vocal work leaves a good bit to be desired. Neither Mark or Tom have ever been touted as great singers, but age hasn't helped. And this may sound odd, but the more Mark tries to sing well, the more I want to switch tracks. I don't know how else to explain it. You should also expect a good bit of influence from the side projects: there's a heavy influence of AVA and +44. In the same vein though, what else would you expect? Each of those bands had traces of "blink-182" in them. It's a natural progression. And at no point do any of these songs sound like AVA or +44. You know it's blink-182. Mark and Travis rein in Tom's grandiose stylings that have been let loose on the AVA albums and Tom adds a bit of scale to Mark's simpler sounds. It's why these guys have worked so well together since 1992. Travis Barker is MVP of "Neighborhoods." He just adds so much more to each song, but without being the focus, without hogging the spotlight.

So, friends, this one is worth a listen. No, it isn't as upbeat and happy-go-naked as "Enema of the State" or "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket," but it shouldn't be. These guys went through an ugly break-up, public potshots, Travis nearly dying, and two good friends (DJ AM and Jerry Finn) dying. So the album's darker. It's a bit more brooding. But it still has fun and more importantly, is fun to listen to. Ghost on the Dancefloor will get you moving. You'll be humming Wishing Well's prechorus after one listen. This is still blink-182. It's just an older blink-182. But really, all that needs to be said of the album is simply this:

I guess this is growing up.

Randomly Extended Thoughts!

 Yo, faithful fams/friends/readers! Good to see you again. It's been a bit. Thanks for coming. Did you get a haircut? No? Well, something's different...A good different. No, I like it. You're looking good. Enough with the compliments! Let's get to the blogging:

—As I mentioned, I was going to Pittsburgh to work on The Dark Knight Rises with my buddy, Greig. Well I did that. And it was awesome. I can't tell you what I saw because I signed a piece of paper that prohibits me from doing that (which, in and of itself, is pretty gnarly). What I can tell you is that Pittsburgh was frakkin' cool. It helped that Greig and I stayed with a great host who showed us around South Side. Had a lot of good drinks and food, not to mention a day of classic arcading at Games N' At (I know people rave about it, but Primanti Bros. was over-rated and overpriced). Met a bunch of cool people, some sketchy folks, and Christian Bale (not really). I pretended to be one of the Hanson brothers from Slapshot on the prompting of a magician. So yeah, great time in Pittsburgh. Go check it out if you've never been. Mucho thanks to Phil and Lauralynn for putting us up and showing us around!

—Also out in Pittsburgh is this cool little shop, The Exchange, where I was finally able to pick up some original Xbox games: Knights of the Old Republic, KotOR II: The Sith Lords, and Spider-Man 2. Now, you all know by now I'm a Star Wars fan. So, in 2003, when KotOR came out, I fell in love. I stand by that that game is one of the best. It's absolutely a favorite, along with its sequel. The first is one of the most compelling stories told in the Star Wars universe, and I'd argue both are a metric shit-ton better than the prequels (which were a metric shit-ton themselves). So needless to say, I've been adventuring with Bastila, Mission, Zaalbar, Carth, Canderous, T3, HK, Jolee, and Juhani for the last several days. 

—George Lucas changed Return of the Jedi for the blu-ray release of the saga. George Lucas is a disappointment and a shell of a creator. Granted, I've never made a movie, had my vision put on screen, or had a studio sit there and tell me parts of my vision don't work, that I need to do things differently, etc. I've only workshopped stories, but as that's what I have, that's what I'll compare here: At some point, you stop editing and let the story stand. I've reread what I had published in the Creative Writing department's collection of graduates' work, and I laughed, to see just how different the stories are now. But I didn't then ask them to republish with the new version. I let it stand as a moment in time. George Lucas can't do that. He has full control, and keeps right on meddling. We need to accept this fact about him, and just stop buying his movies. We're enablers, even if we bitch and moan on the internets. Because most Star Wars fans will cry foul, but still drop their money on the blu-ray set. What is that doing, but encouraging George Lucas? There's also got to be some sort of willful ignorance of the backlash. Or he's just really turned into the Emperor and doesn't give a crap about us.

—Steven Spielberg, on the other hand, seems to have realized a few things: Indy 4 sucked and fans don't want to see revised, edited, "special" editions of classic movies. In this case, he'll be releasing both E.T. and Raiders of the Lost Ark as they were originally seen in theaters on blu-ray. More than that, the man recognizes just what exactly editing a classic movie, or even a non-classic movie, really is: "

For myself, I tried [changing a film] once and lived to regret it. Not because of fan outrage, but because I was disappointed in myself. I got overly sensitive to [some of the reaction] to E.T., and I thought if technology evolved, [I might go in and change some things]…it was OK for a while, but I realized what I had done was I had robbed people who loved E.T. of their memories of E.T. [...] If I put just one cut of E.T. on Blu-ray and it was the 1982, would anyone object to that? [The crowd yells "NO!" in unison.] OK, so be it."

Ya know, he had me worried. Since Jurassic Park, I'd lauded Mr. Spielberg with praise. A lot of it. But his last few movies have made me reconsider. But then he does this, and reaffirms that he has an understanding of film other directors ought to take note of.

—Guess what I'm doing by the end of the year? Yup, building a PC! How spectacularly awesome! I'm pumped about it and open to advice from any experienced builders. I'm trying to keep it around $900 and wow, friends, can you build a rad machine for that money that blows the specs off the standard HP, Dell, Mac, etc. My buddy Jason will be giving me a hand with it, since I've no idea what the hell I'm doing. I've been checking out www.reddit.com/r/buildapc, where there's a pleathora of information and advice. This is easily one of the nerdier things I've done, but I. am. pumped!

—Well, the government brought me back to work, if only until the end of the month. Since I've been back, Matchbox 20 has popped up on my iPod's shuffle a lot. You know what? They rock. They're one of the bands of the '90s that really was talented, both lyrically and musically. Just good music to listen to.

—And if only to end on a(nother) nerd note, Tatooine exists! Not entirely, but kind of: it's a planet orbiting twin suns, which may as well be Tatooine, desert, Tusken Raiders, and Jawas not withstanding. This whole discovery just keeps up with my whole "space is mind-boggling" mind boggle. It's really humbling and exciting to stop and look up at the stars and realize that you aren't just looking into the past, but also millions of miles away. Billions even! Goodness, amigos. The 'verse is something to behold. Here's hoping for interstellar space travel!

That's all this time, folks! I left out the propaganda stuffs because it was bringing me down. Maybe some other time when I'm pissy. Right now, though, I'm going to enjoy this wonderful weather and the Jets' throwbacks! Happy Sunday, folks and friends.

Help Me, Blog-Reading Friends, You're My (Girlfriend's) Only Hope!

I had a whole parody of Princess Leia's plea written out, but re-reading it, well, it kind of sucked. I'll just stick with my own words:

My galpal is currently partaking in a contest on SmugMug. In case you aren't aware, she's currently in the process of building up her photography portfolio, getting a better, killer website, and making moola off taking pictures of things and/or people (which she happens to be very good at). Now, this contest is pretty neat and will go a long way in helping her set herself up as a professional photographer.

If you don't want to do it for her because you don't know her, do it for me. Because she hits me. But only when my friends don't vote for her photos in SmugMug contests.

All I'm asking of you, faithful readers, is to click these links, click the "Like" button, and maybe add a comment should you feel inclined. Then pass it along to a friend you think would like it (see what I did there?).

Converse in Love

Toryn Green: A Voice & The Instrument That Carries It

Kick Off Your Shoes

Converse Play Time

Partnership of B&W and Color / Water and Sky

Helping Hands & Feet

And as a thanks for doing this for her (and me), here's a few of the topic of the upcoming Random Thoughts:

—Freedom and liberty as the propagandist tools they've become.

—George Lucas, a bigger tool than propaganda.

—The little I can legally say about my time working on The Dark Knight Rises.

—My new obsession with building PCs.

—Plenty more, too. Probably no football though (sorry Beth). Maybe a dash of politics.