Chillin at the new Lebanese cafe...

Happy holidaze.

So, last night after leaving the new Lebanese hooka bar (it was sweet), a buddy of mine offered to pay my way into a show. The "venue" was amazing. It was this old run down amphitheater, and it was huge. Normally they have a show once every two months or so as a fundraiser because the place is in the midsts of a long and arduous renovation, but I thought it looked great all worn down. The band that I caught at first was a mix between Growing, OK Computer, and the Apples in Stereo. The droney stuff was cool, but not loud enough, and everyone was lounging on couches or sitting/laying on the concrete floor.

Any way, I was wearing my Corrupted shirt that I got from EatDeath. I was a the Merch table, and some guy asks, "Hey, did you get that from EatDeath?" and we talked about it for a while and he told me that the bassist for the band on stage helps screen print shirts for EatDeath.

Kinda cool, eh? I mean, he could be bullshitting me, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I can't remember the name of the band, I can remember how it sounds but can't spell it for shit.

I talked to the fella that's planning on taking it over, and I hope to see some more shows scheduled, and would go as far as to help get some people playin there. The place is just begging to be the center of attention, you know, they could definitely do more than just shows there as well. It could definitely be a part of the whole "scene".

Bioshock vs Mass Effect vs Oblivion

God.

The 360 is awesome.

He said:Dubai still looks awesome. I wonder if in 20 years it'll become a crime ridden megalopolis that will not be able to survive without JUDGE DREDD.

LUNCHED

A term used by the old time R & B collectors to denote a record that is so beat up that it has no redeeming value. This came from seeing a record that was so trashed that you thought somebody tried eating it for lunch.

DYNAGROOVE

Record cutting system introduced by RCA Victor in 1962 that supposedly reduced tracking distortion by computer controlling cutting characteristics to overcome the imagined faults of playback equipment. Considered a disaster by everyone except the New York Times writer Hans Fantel who wrote the blurb inserted in all of the early pressings, it brought the golden age of RCA Victor Living Stereo to a screeching halt. Because there is a possibility that this system was used on later re-masterings of the early Living Stereo records, collectors try to obtain only early pressings of these masterpieces--usually called "Shaded Dogs" The words "Stereo-Orthophonic" are on the record label and sometimes the cover of the "good" Living Stereo albums.

Hmmm.

So, I'm sure a good chunk of the PA userbase has read this delicately titled opinion over at IGN.

The Wii is a Piece of Shit

Let's ignore the baseless whining at the beginning of the article, and focus on "It's not clear to me that Nintendo gives a s*** about games as an art form,". Suddenly, in one sentence, Hecker instantly defines "art" and "games as art" to his seemingly very strict set of standards.

This bothers me (a former Art Major) for a few reasons. Mainly, Hecker doesn't think he is capable of art unless he has the specific tools at his disposal. So, him being a developer (graphics artist?) does that mean that someone who would rather spend their time with a pencil and pad instead of a 3500$ gaming rig are suddenly not artists?

Hecker even dismisses past consoles. Because the Genesis was underpowered compared to the SNES (in terms of graphical ability), does that mean that art isn't capable on the machine?

When I was your typical college slacker in your typical college slacker art courses, we were often challenged to create something with limited supplies or set rules. Only collages/no pastels/10"x10". So, because I preferred to work in acrylic was I no longer an artist when I was "forced" to use a medium that I generally didn't care for?

Who cares that the Wii is only capable of displaying a third of the wonder that the 360 and the PS3 can. It's still capable of being a platform of your art. Quit bein a snob! Silent and Black and White films 8MM films are no less art than the latest full color, surround sound, digital masterpiece!

Something else caught my eye.

To illustrate his point, he searched for references to games as art on all three console manufacturers web sites. While he found numerous such references on both the official PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sites, Wii.com had none at all. He then shared quotes from executives at Sony and Microsoft talking about games as a serious artistic medium, and then a quote from a Nintendo executive saying the company only wanted to make "fun" games.

Defining a "medium" as an outlet for artistic merit based on pure PR bullshit is incredibly thick headed. I hate it when car manufacturers attempt to sell their latest death machine with arty buzzwords (Our new Bling 2008 with artful curves and an exquisitely tasteful interior!), I dislike it when housing realtors and furniture companies attempt to hock their interests on me by playing up the "discerning, artful consumer". Hecker seems to think that these marketing people actually care about art.

Art isn't defined by the medium or the people who display it and sell it. Art is a product of the creator. If you're unhappy with having to work with something you'd rather not, fine. But don't insult the very thing you are attempting to defend. Don't pander to the smallest aspect or the niche that you work in. No one liked it when Roger Ebert condemned games because they were interactive. No one should like it when Hecker proclaims that games can only be art when it's 1080p, light bloom, high definition, and when the console manufacturer "says it is."

Wouldn't you agree?

Reference:

Games Theory: Games as Art

Recent Additions to my Personal Belongings

Music:

Total Life LP
Sunn/Boris - Altar 3LP
Stars of the Lid and Their Refinement of the Decline 3LP
Monarch - Speak of the Sea LP
Monarch - Dead Men Tell no Tales 2CD
Ghost - In Stormy Nights 2LP
Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld 2LP
Vulture Club - Pure Agitator CD
Vulture Club - Live Young, Die Fast, and Leave an Exquisite Corpse
Faust ...in Autumn Boxset
Fennesz - Live in Japan LP
Eloe Omoe - Marauders LP
Eloe Omoe LP
Wooden Shjips - Shaking Moon for You LP

Books:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
-Child's book, but 500 and some odd pages. Writing is a bit on the boring side, however, the story doesn't suffer at all. Well told, with the narrative often stopping and the storying being furthered by a series of black/gray and white pencil drawings. Sorta like an old silent film.

Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend by Winsor McKay
-Small Collection of the first strips for Dreams of a Rarebit Fiend. Some of them are hilarious, but he hadn't quite gotten up to his best quality work.

Games:

Lunar Knights DS
Oblivion 360
Saint's Row 360
Xbox 360

I feel sick.

I knew eating that left over sesame chicken for breakfast was a bad idea.

A desert wind moans sadly. From somewhere within the wind comes the tinkly, syrupy-sweet sounds of the Lennon Sisters singing "My Favorite Things." A series of sepia images of anti-war protests from the mid-sixties appear one after another on the screen.




In the violently scrawled style of Ralph Steadman, the title FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS splashes onto the screen. A beat, and then it runs down and off revealing...

"He who makes a beast of himself
Gets rid of the pain
Of being a man."

Fear and Loathing in Gonzovision

It never got weird enough for me.

Him: What's the ugliest part of your body? Some say your nose, some say your toes, I say it's your miiiiiind.

Me: What's the ugliest part of your body? Some say their nose, some say their toes, I say it's your mind.

Her: What's that from?

Me: God, when he had a ridiculous mustachio.

Albums of 06 in no particular order:

The Goslings - Grandeur of Hair

I discovered The Goslings with their beautiful self released full length Between the Dead. Between the Dead"had a strange feeling about it, one that gently placated the soft, almost dream pop sensibilities, and also satisfied the heavy, doom metal fan in me. Grandeur of Hair went in a somewhat different, yet similar direction. Unlike the Between the Dead, Grandeur is not as easy a listen. While not a drastic departure, Grandeur further dives below the hiss of analog feedback. Where as Between the Dead seemed more of a lo-fi metal tribute to Sonic Youth at times, Grandeur embraces the inherited qualities of the Goslings and incorporates the aforementioned ambience and buries beneath it haunting melodies and harmonies, guitar crunch, and a decidedly punk rock aesthetic. Where as the first half of the album is the very essence of the Goslings, the latter tracks are a new sound for the band, from a dirge that can rival Sunn's best output, to a fairly quick paced, more rocking tune set to a haunting chant of "No more ribbon, no more kite". The Gosling's use of tape, fuzzed out guitars, and female vocals layered under sheets of noise isnt something to miss, and I hope that their next release is just as good.

WOLFMANGLER - Dwelling in a Dead Raven for the Glory of Crucified Wolves

The doomiest, dirgiest, nastiest, and blackest music to never use traditional instruments. WOLFMANGLER is truely an (de)evolutionary step for those that want black metal to return to its roots. Droning, unforgiving, awesome, heavy, and fucking metal no matter how you spin it.

Harvey Milk - Special Wishes

I dont really know what to say about Harvey Milk. Sadly, they were criminally over looked during their most active period, and actually broke up due to the nature of their output and their inability to catch on with fans of experimental rock. Of course, anyone who enjoys their first two releases wont find this surprising, but what they will be surprised by is how streamlined Harvey Milk is on Special Wishes. While the 10+ minute sonic bombardments of Melvins-esque coupled with Leonard Cohen covers are gone, the feeling is still there. And, dammit, I dont think any other band, especially one as slow and tortured as Harvey Milk, could have such great lyrics. In fact, I think that is the quality I appreciate most about them. Down tuned riffage accompanied by howls of "I got a love, eight miles high. Chrome plated stars on a black leather sky... ...longer than time and higher than sound." Of course, one of the reasons that I loved Harvey Milk in the first place was their ability to shift between genres and still maintain their ability, and Special Wishes is the same. After the punch-in-the-gut sludge of "Ive Got a Love", nestled in the middle of the album is "Once in a While", a throw back to early 90's indie rock, followed by the prog rock influenced "Paul's Hardcore/Instrumental". My favorite track on the disc? Two, actually. One (The End) an almost "wolf in sheeps clothing" that hides an almost classic rock chorus behind chugging riffs, and then Love Swing, an unabashedly full force attack that demands attention and has a fucking amazing solo. The album ends with the faux patriotic half accoustic ballad "Old Glory" and the appropriately titled mother's day tribute. While Special Wishes is a different beast compared to the experimentation of Courtesy and Good will (and definitely a whole other slice of meat than the blues rock of The Pleaser) Special Wishes wont disappoint you, whether youre a Harvey Milk fan, or whether you just wanna hear something good.

Boris - Vein

Okay. So, Melvins worship on Absolutego. Psyched out metal on Amplifier Worship, Heavy Rocks, and Akuma no Uta. Frippian tendancies of Flood, and Maggot Brain on Feedbacker. Pink, the best album of 2005, and probably their most original piece of work, and now Vein... a grindcore album? Im not exactly sure how to explain it, and I dont think I can offer a valid comparision (most people seem to cite GAI, but really. How?) Fast, ear piercing, and a completely different direction for Boris, and is also the album that seemed to divide fans.

Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rainbow

Surprise number three. I left Pink off this list mainly for the sake of redundancy (the superior localized version was released this year). However, that didnt stop them from releasing the much anticipated Rainbow, a collaborative effort with part time prog rocker Michio Kurihara, noteable as the guitarist for Ghost, White Heaven, Stars, and at one point in time Damon and Naomi. Unlike Altar, Rainbow DOES seem like a collaborative effort. Where as Altar featured two bands that often sound alike doing so on the same record, Rainbow was a definite step in a new direction (similar to both Pink and Vein). As a matter of fact, I couldnt see Boris making this record WITHOUT Kurihara's work. I also appreciate Wata finally getting in on the vocals (second track FTW). The Boris sound is largely absent from this record. No walls of sound, very little doomery, less epic feel (save for the first track). The album is definitely a more textured and more deliberate take. Definitely the rub off of sharing the studio with Kurihara. Boris nuts should get it, but stay away if you think their last good record was Heavy Rocks. You probably wont enjoy this record.

Liars - The Drums not Dead

The Liars made a big splash (in, what? Indie terms?) with their "dance punkwhuteverthatmeans" debut. And they promptly surprised me and the masses with increasingly difficult albums, culminating with the vivid and percussion heavy The Drums not Dead.

Honorable Mentions: Boris - Pink, Sunn and Boris - Altar, AEthenor - Deep in Ocean Sunk the Lamp of Light, Nadja - Trembled,

Top albums that I bought this year, but wernt released this year:

Acid Mothers Temple - Univers Zen ou de Zéro à Zéro, Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove (probably third time I bought this'un), Corrupted - El Dios Queja, Les Rallizes DeNudes - 77 Live, Black Mayonnaise - TTSSATTSR, godheadSILO - Scientific Supercake


Heres to 2007

Great short animation. Eugene Poddany is responsible for the excellent score (He did alot of work for Tom & Jerry). I havnt seen this in years. Good to see it on YouTube.

( Video here... )

To the vector belong the spoils!

I made a forum post on somewhat popular web forum. The thread was title "Artists that should influence devs". Not a very eloquent way to state the subject, but I think I got the point across.

I mainly stole the idea from luisfius from when he spammed 4Chan/7Chan with Zdzislaw Beksinski paintings. In turn, I made the above mentioned thread and pimped Beksinski's horrific beauties and I read a few surprising replies.

Im satisfied so many people were moved by his work. Beksinski's idea of what "Hell" would be is probably one I appreciate most. His post apocalyptic dream seems to be more focused on mysticism than blatant occultism, and in the end, theres just something cool as fuck about a skeletal tree aching and bending from the winds.

Since I made the thread, Ive seen several user accounts incorporate Beksinski's artwork into their avatars/signatures.

Mission accomplished.

[[[Wrote early in the morning. Mind the spoilers. Happy Birthday, Simon.]]]




So, I know youre all dying to know my opinion nstuff. Lemme warn you, Ive hated Final Fantasy for the past few years. Even wrote an article for eToyChest on how much they suck. Wink

Stream of consciousness because I just woke up.

Graphics are, of course, beautiful. In most places. Im playing the thing on my HDTV, widescreen, so I can see some of the ugliness, but oh well. Especially in the fields. Im only five hours in, but I find it funny that the only grass on the Giza Plains are the plots that are used as a boundary.

I dont get why there was a big Star Wars battle at the beginning. It aint steampunk either. Im assuming this will be somewhat explained later on. Also, given that there was lost, magically powered hi technology in Final Fantasy Tactics, and that this could be a prequel of some sorts, then that might explain a few things.

Ive also noticed a few plot problems already. More likely due to a bad script writer than anything... but at the beginning, before the emperor's parade, everyones like "Man... fuck the Empire... OH SHIT. DONT TELL THEM I SAID THAT!" They fear the empire and the emperor... but when that Milli Vanilli lookin mofo hops up on stage, the entire crowd starts jeering him. Noticed a lack of consistency there.

Oh, and the emperor type persons speech? Awful voice acting. Or, Im assuming so, atleast. I was also given the impression that the lines seemed forced because, well, the character WAS forcing them. Hes nice, but I suspect him to be teh evul.

I also LOVE how I can easily get my ass kicked. "Oh, look. A werewolf. OH SHIT HE HAS A BIG SWORD. *dead*" Im bummed that there arnt many weapons to buy so far. I wasted some JP on the bow skill only to find out that there were none around.

Battle system is cool. Gambits are finally opened up, but I dont have any, or the "Party" menu isnt opened yet, so I cant really access them. However, I dont like having to manually select a target after I dispatch one of its posse, say, a one out of a group of wolves. Ive caught myself sittin back, relaxing, only to realize Im getting my ass handed to me without any recourse.

Oh yeah. And...

Spoiler:
WTF is up with the sewer level? Two hours into the damn game and Im already in a fucking sewer.


My room mates suck, btw.

"Is that a TRex? Go kill it."

No. Ill die.

"No, seriously dude. I think you can take it."

Sigh. *hit* 375 damage. *death*

Happy?

"Very."

Regardless, Im having a blast with it, and it seems that Square really pandered to the RPG player like me. No JPop. No Hipsters. = Happy Sleep.