Time for some new music! Laura and I discovered these bands because Richard Ayoade directed some of their music videos. I shall link to a few of those, as well as offer downloads of some of the songs. If anything particularly strikes your fancy, let me know; I have full albums.

First up, The Last Shadow Puppets. "Meeting Place," and "The Age of the Understatement." They remind me very much of British 60s music, especially The Buckinghams. They're also a very good band to listen to at the gym if you like to pretend, whilst you're on the treadmill, for instance, that you are running around in a James Bond movie.

Next, Super Furry Animals. They're harder to describe, as the album I have doesn't necessarily have a single cohesive tone. Sometimes they remind me of Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie, other times, the more extravagant bombast of The Moody Blues. Really fun stuff, though. Here's Ayoade's video for "Runaway," (with Matt Berry, whose very face makes me laugh), and links to "Battersey Odyssey," and "Let the Wolves Howl at the Moon."

Finally, Vampire Weekend. I accidentally brought over the same song as the video I'm going to link to, but all their stuff pretty much sounds like this. Which I like, so that's a good thing. "Oxford Comma," and the video to the same.

If you're unfamiliar with Ayoade and Berry, might I direct you to The IT Crowd. A few clips. "I wonder if it's loaded!"

Rondo allegro from Symphonie Espagnole in D minor, Op. 21, Edouard Lalo. Joshua Bell, violin. (This is one of my very favorites; I listen to it all the time, especially when I listen to my nightly classical to help me fall asleep.)

Ghost in the Machine!













Ice!











It's interesting, because both these episodes are essentially rip-offs of classic SF films, 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Thing respectively. But GitM is not a very good episode, and Ice is fantastic, and a classic. I think GitM could have been a good episode, and I don't know if it was budget or sfx technology that held them back, but there was a distinct lack of menace in that computer and building, whereas Ice is a very chilling (haha) episode, because what scares us more than anything? Ourselves, and each other, and the simple fact that when it comes down to it, we're still unpredictable, angry animals.

III. Sonata in G major, presto, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Great Piano Concertos.

Shadows!









Saw The Dark Knight today; it was very good, but I think it was too overhyped, because I ended up expecting a life-changing experience, and it was merely a very good movie. Heath was incredible, though. At this point, I would be surprised if he didn't score a nomination.

Nocturne, Op. 9 No. 2 in E flat major, Frederick Chopin. James Galway, flute.

Conduit is another really good episode. My only story/character complaint (as opposed to nitpicking) is that the Mulder emotional drama is laid on a little too thick. It may just be the case of making the subtext a little too text, but I really don't need him crying in a church at the end to get it. Also, Mulder? Lay off stroking the picture of Ruby as a child in a swimsuit; you look like a giant pervert.

I think I've been spoiled by Bear McCreary, because Mark Snow's atmospheric synth tracks are kind of getting on my nerves.

Check it out, guys! They're on Kobol!

Chanson de nuit, Op. 15 No. 1, Edward Elgar.

My random thoughts on Squeeze: I cannot get over GA's costuming. Slacks belted an inch below her bust. Suit jackets that hang a full foot below said "waist." Shoulder pads. DEAR LORD. That said, I really liked her hair in the French twist, and wonder why they never did that again.

Odd gaffes: There is a random shot on video in the teaser. It always throws me, because I don't know if it's meant to be security footage, or if they just filled up their last mag before the day's shoot was finished. When that one guy is lighting a fire, there is a can of tall matches right on the hearth in one shot, then he turns to get them from a coffee table in the next. And when Mulder shows up at the stake-out, his flashlight hits the car and reflects into the camera lens; that definitely should have been caught on-set.

Why does Mulder show up at that parking garage in the first place? "Hey, I'm eating some seeds. Why are you here, Scully? This is stupid. Anyhoo, I'm out." They needed a better excuse to get him there, if that was the only point of that exercise.

Doug Hutchinson is CREEPY. Fantastic casting.

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String Quartet No. 2 in G Major, I. Allegro non troppo, ma con brio, Johannes Brahms. Isaac Stern, violin.

Okay, so I was waiting until the story came to its conclusion before I posted about it, and that happened on Monday, so: Remember the stray dog my grandpa took in? We think now he wasn't a stray, but belonged to someone in the general area and was just a wanderer. My grandpa had him about a week before he managed to find a hole in the fence and run away. The dog had run away twice before that (before we'd managed to fill in all the gaps in the fence, so we had thought) but had always come back after an hour or two. My grandpa drove around, and we drove around, and after two days we finally accepted that either he had found his original home or someone else had taken him in.

My grandpa had bought a bed, dog food, two different kinds of treats, a collar and leash. And he didn't get rid of any of it. Everything stayed exactly where it was. And we were all very sad, while he seemed to be quite stoic and "oh, well" about the whole thing.

And then...he brings up maybe getting another one? He reads Boston Terrier books from the library. He checks the classifieds. Another week goes by.

Monday we drove to Garden City, Missouri (about an hour and fifteen minute drive each way) to pick up a puppy. He is eight weeks old, not even all the way through his shots, and terminally adorable. My grandpa named him Jack, and he's settled in really well. It's kind of amazing; a few months ago we were worried Grandpa wouldn't be able to live on his own anymore, would either have to move in with my aunt or uncle or even go into a place. And now he's back to projects in his back yard, and has adopted a puppy.

Prelude, Johann Sebastian Bach, Master and Commander soundtrack. Yo-Yo Ma, cello.

I only have two episodes of Rome left. Massive sadface. I should pretend it's just ten movies instead of twenty episodes of TV that then got canceled, but still, it's too bad they couldn't either make it cheaper or find a bigger audience to justify the costs, because it's such a good show. And so amazingly gorgeous. I think I may love Titus Pullo as much as I love Jayne Cobb.

Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23, Frederic Chopin, The Pianist soundtrack. Janusz Olejniczak, piano.

I finally finished the movie Grand Canyon, which I only watched because it has Mary McDonnell in it. She's wonderful in it, as per usual, but what a talky, pretentious movie. All text about theme, just...no one TALKS like that. I hate movies where every character has essentially the same viewpoint and they just expound on it in scene after scene where very little actually happens. Anyway.

I put my favorite ten (plus a bonus) classical tracks on one of my flash drives, like, two weeks ago, and then promptly forgot about it. Here is the first:

Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-Flat Major, molto allegro, Op. 22, Frederick Chopin, Warsaw Philharmonic. The Pianist soundtrack.

For all of these, if you like, I have either full albums of the composer or the performer or both. For instance, I have about five Chopin albums as well as The Pianist soundtrack. After I get these up, next comes soundtracks! Although a lot of these are featured in soundtracks, as well.

Bought booze for the Fourth today. I've decided that I want to buy a nice wall rack and make a mini-liquor cabinet out of all the tiny sample bottles of alcohol I buy. Today I got a little 50ml bottle of German honey liquor. It is delicious!

Some more:

Knights of Cydonia

Sunburn

Sing For Absolution

Some Muse songs:

Unintended

Butterflies and Hurricanes

Stockholm Syndrome

Hysteria

Starlight

Supermassive Black Hole

Muzaks!

"Keep on Loving You," REO Speedwagon

"Sister Christian," Night Ranger

"To Be With You," Mr. Big

"Chelsea Dagger," The Fratellis (Laura sent me this one; it is to be happy)

"Taxi (Ave Maria)," 28 Days Later OST

It's ripped from the episode, so it has sound effects and dialogue, but it will have to do until the soundtrack comes out in August. "All Along the Watchtower," as done by Battlestar Galactica

It's not that I've fallen behind on uploading new music; I haven't really been downloading much new. One of the happiest moments for me recently, music-related or otherwise, was Laura getting her hands on the Pianist soundtrack. Is anyone interested in that?