vain, selfish & lazy.

Friday, September 01, 2000

the who demand younger substitutes: well, apparently, the who are going to appear in an upcoming simspons episodes. they were said to be horrified when they saw their cartoon alter egos and demanded to be made to look 30 years younger. this puzzles me because the simpsons usually don't "do" old characters, particularly when they're famous. so were they made out to look like grampa simpson or what?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Thursday, August 31, 2000

new mixtape: for those who are interested in that sort of thing.
side a:
elvis presley, "viva las vegas"
rolling stones, "street fighting man"
smiths, "this charming man"
blur, "for tomorrow"
david bowie, "watch that man"
john lennon, "instant karma!"
rod stewart, "every picture tells a story"
crystals, "he's a rebel"
wham!, "everything she wants"
wyclef jean ft. the rock, "it doesn't matter"
al green, "take me to the river"

side b:
magnetic fields, "100,000 fireflies"
pet shop boys, "shameless"
nas, "it ain't hard to tell"
pet shop boys, "losing my mind"
morrissey, "boxers"
rolling stones, "gimme shelter"
jerry butler, "wishing star (theme from taras bulba)"
smokey robinson, "cruisin'"
richard harris, "macarthur park"
george michael ft. astrud gilberto, "desafinado"
roy orbison, "it's over"
radiohead, "fake plastic trees"
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

"brittany, brittany, brittany, brittany, brittany": if you, like me, got that annoying little brittany song stuck in your head, you can hear it again hereand view the cartoon shown on last night's live show plus even more of them.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

wonder who's flying those banners over the big brother house?: click the link and be taken to the folks responsible. you know, i thought i heard planes flying over the house yesterday during the live show: according to media jammers, they had 3 planes in the air during that time. the banner they weren't behind, though, is the one that made it on the show: "vote george - save britanny."
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

gore to go on letterman show, with or without bush: this is something that's probably going to earn gore points with a lot of people, but it just annoys the hell out of me. i actually respect bush more for not going on: if that's his decision, at least he doesn't have a team of advisors urging him to make it. with gore, it just strikes me that all of his handlers are telling him to do this so he looks "hip." look at the mtv special he's doing and how can we forget about naomi wolf?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

brad pitt: the next batman?: umm, i don't know. he doesn't come across posh enough to be bruce wayne, but who knows. personally, i think they should just let the series die. i mean, what villain are they going to bring out next? killer croc? that guy made of mud?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

hasselhoff to assume lead in 'jekyll & hyde': oh my God! it may actually be worth it to see this show now with hasselhoff getting to be the baddie and also getting to sing his ass off. this is the best thing to hit broadway since, i don't know, sebastian bach?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Wednesday, August 30, 2000

U2 - "BEAUTIFUL DAY"
i like u2. it's probably not a popular opinion to hold nowadays but fuck it. every time they release something i hope it'll be, you know, good. i haven't bought a u2 album since achtung, baby which seems like ages ago now. reading descriptions about the new single indicated that it'd be an attempt to recapture past glories, which sounded just fine to me. unfortunately, u2 have a penchant for making things sound great; hell, even pop seemed like a good idea at the time...in theory. in theory, communism works. in theory.

so would the new single actually be any good or would it be a disastrous manic street preachers-like attempt to get back to their roots? well, for me, it works. unlike u2, the manics both had a signature sound (loud, punky) and a signature message (power to the people, down with the man): "masses against the classes" was loud and angry but it was also extremely calculated and lacked heart and, oh, the lyrics! luckily for u2, they just had to concentrate on getting the sound right and for the most part, they do.

for a point of reference, think "pride (in the name of love)" or "where the streets have no name": those wide-open epics of yesteryear where the edge's guitar blares in its trademark way and bono is given to vocal flights of fancy. "beautiful day" is a song that fits into that tradition, one that truly deserves the adjective "skyscraping": the chorus soars in a way we haven't heard in quite some time now (and, indeed, i didn't think bono's voice could quite hit those heights anymore). it's one of those good, old-fashioned u2 anthems. the lyrics seem to concern themselves with seizing the day and all that; even though things may not be going right for you, they could be a lot worse, so just be glad that you're alive and there's still so much within your reach. with "beautiful day," u2 seem to be trying to remind us that they're still very much alive too; hopefully it's a trend that continues with the new album.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

for the radiskull & devil doll fans: well, it's been a long wait, but episode 4 is almost here. for now, click on the link and see some screen shots from the upcoming episode. just who is that temptress pictured in the last scene? i bet she tries to come between devil doll and candy angel. we'll just have to wait and see!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

marilyn manson confirms new single: well, here's the answer. oh, i'm not telling.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

eminem gives up custody of his daughter: yeah, i know he's not the best person to have custody of her, but then again neither is his soon-to-be ex-wife...and neither is his mother, based on the things i've read. the poor child is probably too old to be given to a foster family and to grow up not knowing of her infamous heritage.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

electronic chatter fools instant messengers: i use aol instant messenger, as many of you know (screen name: fred91577). but now i'm wondering if any of you, the people i've chatted with, aren't in fact people, but rather a.i. programs like aoliza, the subject of this article. it seems people just can't get enough of "her" and "her" inquisitive ways: some even know that liza isn't real, but they keep chatting with her regardless. what a sad comment on our society that there are some people so disconnected from the world that they spend hours talking to a program.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

site updates: well, after being off for the last week, i've finally caught up on all of the updates. the archive is now up to date, and erykah badu, outkast, and nights of cabiria have been added to the reviews section. if you checked them out, it'd make my day.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

HEY, LOOK, IT'S MY AMAZON.COM WISHLIST!: now if that doesn't get your attention... anyhow, yes, there it is. my birthday is september 15 and it's rapidly approaching. if you'd like to purchase me a gift, know that i'd be indebted you for all eternity; if you're supposed to be buying me gifts, get crackin', time's a-wastin'!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Tuesday, August 29, 2000

MARILYN MANSON - "DISPOSABLE TEENS"/"THE FIGHT SONG"
from what i understand, one of these is going to be the first single from manson's upcoming album. let me talk about "disposable teens" first.

manson's described "disposable teens" as a tribute to gary glitter. given glitter's troubles with the law, i thought it possible that, when he said "tribute," it might have something to do with pedophilia. happily, this isn't the case and manson instead takes his cue from glitter's beat-heavy glam hits.

prior to the release of mechanical animals, i found manson to be an intriguing figure who, to be frank, made shitty music. when the aformentioned album was released, though, i know myself and many other like-minded music fans became converts: by making his music sexy with glammed-up sounds, he gave his confrontational sound just the right tweaking it needed to reach a new audience and to garner full-on mainstream attention for his message.

had i heard "disposable teens" before mechanical animals, i'd likely have dismissed it -- the beat utilized is obviously a variation on glitter's stomp, but it's also not a million miles away from "the beautiful people." now, hearing "disposable teens" through the lens of mechanical animals, i can fully appreciate that beat and the bolan-filtered-through-industrial roar of the riff. the lyrics are what you've come to expect from manson: raw and edgy, attacking society and god (i particularly like, "i'm a rebel from the waist down"). it's topped off with a typical populist chorus from the man with a neat beatles nick. top stuff.

like "disposable teens," "the fight song" is a short (3 minutes) blast of fury. the chorus is arguably better: "i'm not a slave to a god who doesn't exist, i'm not a slave to a world that doesn't give shit" followed by shouts of "fight! fight! fight!" -- he certainly has a knack for sloganeering. i've seen people call this his "song 2" and the comparisons are not so off: both feature heavy riffing, a mechanical drum beat...hell, substitute "whoo-hoo!" for "fight!" and you're set. it's one of those songs that you play right before you go out to get yourself hyped up; what exactly this hypes you up for is not a question for me to answer. it's fun, if not just a bit insubstantial. i take back my earleir proclamations: based on what i've heard so far, maybe manson's got another good album up his sleeves. however it turns out, you can't say that the man's not an excellent demagogue.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

fan fiction, you say?: how about o-town fan fiction? the band just signed a contract yesterday and they already have several stories about them, some up to seventeen chapters long. where is my fan fic at?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

americans losing confidence in economy: it looks like clinton is getting out of the white house at just the right time: the country seems to have forgiven him for monica and the economy has been thriving -- he may have a legacy after all. i feel sorry for whomever follows him, though: it's similar to george bush taking the reins after reagan just as the economy started heading towards a recession.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

mtv to close box network: well, this certainly sucks, particularly for those of us who don't have cable in manhattan and see the box as our only connection to music videos. this proves it: mtv once prided itself on being rebellious and all of that, but it's now "the establishment."
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

what type are you?: so catherine hipped me to this link that pearls put up. here's the result:

"Yeah, baby! You're a sweet-talking, smooth-moving, good-looking Casanova. A stud who knows exactly what to do and say in any situation. Quite the charmer, when you enter a room, everyone flocks to you. Not only are you fun to be around, but you're quick-witted, stylish, super-suave, and part of the coolest scene. Whether it's a top-notch restaurant or the hottest new club, you're there. Do you ever have to wait in line? No way. Do you look like you just stepped out of GQ magazine? Always. When you're with a girl, she feels like the center of the universe. Your slick moves and smart lines will keep the ladies coming back for more!"

daaaaaaaammn right.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

it's a 'stretch' for chan in disney superhero film: you can say that again. it's nothing against jackie chan; it's just that i never pictured him as stretch armstrong. then again, i never pictured a stretch armstrong ever being made.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

abc warms up 'band' for further episodes: YESS!!!!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

oscar-winning rock composer jack nitzsche dies: nitzsche was the man who arranged both the crystals' "he's a rebel" and ike and tina turner's "river deep, mountain high." if these were his only accomplishments, they'd be enough to place him amongst the finest arrangers in pop history, but it was only the beginning for him as he'd go on to work with the rolling stones and neil young and win an oscar for his work on an officer and a gentleman. r.i.p.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

scrubbles: visuals, words and other ephemeral gleamings: this is another one that tom recommended and, looking in my stats and finding it there, i went to check it out. i love the look of the page and i love the spirit of it. the writing is great and the topics are interesting; he's inspired me to create an amazon wishlist after i read that mike, following up his gift to josh, bought something for matt of scrubbles too! my birthday is coming up in about two weeks so i figure what the hell. oh, and go visit scrubbles!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

noel gallagher reveals the future for oasis: okay, so i go away for a week. i come back and i peruse the music news from that week and see countless stories in the british mags with headlines like, "is this the end for oasis?" and "oasis announcement imminent!" so last night noel reveals on stage that oasis will live on! i mean, God, what a bunch of drama queens.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Monday, August 28, 2000

massive attack record 85 new tracks:
"I've been buying records avidly a lot of '60's and '70s jazz and prog rock," 3d said.

meep. as some of you know, massive attack is my favorite band. however, this album sounds like it's turning into something josh would love.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

deep blue earns celebrity rating:
"IBM’s supercomputer Deep Blue is fast becoming a cultural icon. A new survey finds the machine is as recognizable as Baywatch star Carmen Electra."

how sad for carmen electra. first dennis rodman, then scary movie, and now this!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

clive davis starts j records: okay, i guess that's news BUT the big news here is his first signee: o-town. that's right, the band from "making the band."

so i have a question. i'm told that ikaika performed with the group on the teen choice awards that aired this past week. now, i know that event was taped rather recently and i've been under the impression that the "making the band" episodes are a few months old. is it possible that he rejoined the group?! why on earth would they take him back in? he's already flaked on them a couple of times now. if anyone knows what's up, please let me know.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

'bring it on' tops weekend box office: i can't tell you how much this troubles me. how come kirsten dunst's most adult role (in interview with the vampire) came when she was 12?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

and...: in case you didn't notice, i'm back. hello!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

MADONNA - MUSIC
so here it is, madonna's much-feted (by her) new album, music, the one that's supposed to take music to another level and cut through the doldrums of today's scene. as much as i find her recent snobbery unbearable, the album is pretty good, but on the other hand, it's hardly different than anything that's out on the market currently: madonna has always been a dance artist so it's natural for her to get with the times, so therefore i don't see anything cutting-edge about her "electronica" forays at all. let's discuss.

first off, it's a short album: 10 songs, about 45 minutes long. when the last track plays for me, i can't believe it's already over; then again, in a market that's flooded with double albums, a little brevity does come as a breath of fresh air. the album begins with "music," and i'm sure you've all made up your minds about that one. i still find it to be a bit dull and i won't be surprised if it's her worst charting first single from an album in this country: nevertheless, it does set the tone for the album, both in its (thankfully) simple lyrics and in its sound.

production chores on this album are shared by mirwais and william orbit: the beats are slightly similar but it's not too difficult to distinguish between mirwais' daft-punkish sounds and and orbit's retro-dance. the former is best heard on "impressive instant": the vocals are tweaked -- which is a frequent occurrence on this album -- and a helium-voiced madonna announces, "i'm in a trance": she's not alone as mirwais immerses the listener in his hypnotic sounds. it's this album's "ray of light" in terms of all-out danceability and subject matter -- it's also the best track on the album.

orbit's production style is best exemplified in "amazing": the high-pitched synth, the rattling guitar, the basic breakbeat -- basically the sound he began with "beautiful stranger" and reused on "american pie." compared to mirwais' tracks, orbit's uptempo offerings suggest what i've always thought: he's not a dance music producer, instead he excels at making pop songs with strong dance elements. he started his career as a maker of ambient music which is why his best tracks are ballads like "gone" with its echoey, lo-fi acoustic guitar. six of the tracks went to mirwais and three went to orbit (the remaining one went to guy sigsworth who contributes the straightforward pop of "what it feels like for a girl" which, in some strange way, reminds me of michael jackson's "childhood" in its theme) which would indicate that, in adapting to her "new" sound, she's deciding to jettison orbit in favor of mirwais' dance futurism. given the results, it's hard to second guess her decision.

listening to the lyrics on this album, i find a madonna who seems somewhat unhappy. compared to the largely celebratory vibe of ray of light, you have to wonder what's happened to her since. many of the songs deal with relationships gone sour and with mistakes she feels she's made. the album ends with the aforementioned "gone" which sounds like her new statement of belief. lines like "selling out is not my thing" seem to explain her current mindset and make you wish for the madonna who for a time seemed to have exclusive rights to the idea of "selling out."

the fact that the album sounds good on these first listenings may possibly make me mistake it for a good album: time will tell in that respect. to me, "impressive instant" is the only excellent track. many of the songs are only salvaged by the deft production touches of orbit and mirwais. "amazing" and "i deserve it" are good/very good tracks, the latter an engagingly sparse ballad. "runaway lover" is another very good production with a faint tune; "don't tell me" is bordering on being "good/very good" with production that recalls r&b hotshot shek'speare, of all people; "paradise (not for me)," taken from mirwais' production album, is cool to listen to but is ruined by madonna's new age platitudes and whispered vocal; and "nobody's perfect" is flat-out boring and you all know what i think about "music." now you should know how i feel about music: a good album, though hardly ground-breaking, with the potential to get better or worse over time.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss