Thursday, September 26, 2019

Updates Updates Updates

With the oncoming PTO/Jewish Holidays the next few weeks, I may finally be able to do some writing in here again.

Lots of stuff I wanted-to, but couldn't at the time.

Such as like a TV Shows feature. All the DS9 stuff of late with Aron Eisenberg;s sad passing and streaming service news, and The Expanse..I've been in a Television mood/mode the last month.

I may want to write some stand-alone features on my all-time favorites.

And maybe even some Rankings which I have an epic, drafted list on rateyourmusic.com, titled rateyourtv.com etc

that and maybe something on the Minnesota Twins.

fully expect to lose to the Yankees in the playoffs, but the Summer of 2019 has been a lot about streaming their games almost nightly. Home Run records, etc.

Dirt Poor Robins - Dead Horse, Alaska (GOLD) (2018-2019)

Dead Horse, Alaska (GOLD) is the 2nd of 3 EP's in Dirt Poor Robins Dead Horse, Alaska series is released today, September 26th, 2019.

I only saw/heard some of the trailer clips, but given how awesome Dead Horse, Alaska (RED) is, and this sounds, I think it's already good to proclaim this series of EPs/Dead Horse Alaska an Album of the Year Contender.

When the 3rd and final EP drops? unsure. It's titled Dead Horse, Alaska (BLACK) from memory. if it doesn't get released before Halloween, which I would be surprised if it does, I may pull a liberty and try and squeeze it in.

Or, if it comes out like in January or even late December, I may change my take and have it be in the 2019-2020 Albums Rankings/Race/etc

I dunno. With many records expected this year, getting pushed back until next year, I feel like I may shoe-horn it in.

Or do what I did 1 year with movies, and just include it as an extra, and then put it in next year, next year, lol.

That all being said, I'm natually stoked about this. DPR are officially a staple band for me and ANYTHING they release a very big deal.

I haven't heard this yet though, but I can anticipate listening to it quite a lot in the coming days/weeks/months.

The Saints double/suite sounds epic like a lot of their compositions. But I guess this one may be their most proggy, for lack of a better word.

Also 1 other thought just came to mind: "Dead Horse, Alaska" is for the 3 EPs they are making/made now. But DEAD HORSE the SERIES could extend out much longer I think/hope/wonder.

Also not this, but in November they are finally releasing with artwork and the story, the complete RAVEN LOCKS record on CD.

Oh man, I'm excited to finally own a physical copy of that and that story.

YouTube?..been dormant of late. Long story, but I need to get back to it soon.


1. But Never a Key 06:06
2. Wax Cylinder Sonata 06:24
3. The Saints I 05:36
4. The Saints II 04:29

Friday, September 20, 2019

Artists/Bands Who DEFINE 2000-2009 to ME

Here's a semi-accurate list of artists/bands I think of DEFINE the music of 2000-2009 TO ME.

While some have 1 memorable or great album, or maybe 2-3, others have a nice body of work that stand the test of time.

Or some have 1 exceptional record and some other albums I think are okay or still enjoy.

It's a good list, and I think at this point, includes a lot more favorites over 2010-2019.


Aereogramme
Agalloch/Sculptured
Anathallo
The Antlers
Apes and Androids/Call Florence Pow
The Apex Theory/Mt.Helium
The Apples in Stereo
The Appleseed Cast
Archive
As Tall as Lions
Avenged Sevenfold
Battles
Bend Sinister
Between the Buried and Me
Blackfield
Bloc Party
Broken Social Science
Burst
California Guitar Trio
The Chap
Clann Zu
Cloud Cult
Coheed and Cambria
The Dear Hunter
The Decemberists
Doves
Dream Theater
dredg
The Ebb and Flow
Enchant
Fair to Midland
Fates Warning/John Arch
Fields.
The Flower Kings
God is an Astronaut
Godspeed You Black Emperor
Greg Herriges
Hiromi
Imogen Heap/Frou Frou
House of Fools
Kaddisfly
Kacica
Karnivool
Kiss Kiss
Klimt 1918
Kunek/Other Lives
Local Natives/Cavil at Rest
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
Marillion
The Mars Volta
Mason Proper
Mastodon
maudlin of the Well
Men Women and Children
Menomena/Ramona Falls
Pat Metheny
Mew
Minus the Bear
Murder by Death
Muse
Mutemath
Mutyumu
Neverending White Lights
The New Pornographers
Oceansize
Opus Dai
OSI
Opeth
Ours
Pain of Salvation
Amanda Palmer/The Dresden Dolls
People for Audio
Porcupine Tree
Protest the Hero
Pure Reason Revolution
The Receiving End of Sirens
Josh Rouse
Russian Circles
Shaman/Andre Matos
Sigur Ros
SikTh
Silverchair/The Dissociatives
Spock's Beard
St.Vincent
Stateless
Sufjan Stevens
System of a Down
Textures
Three
Time of Orchids
Tokyo Jihen
Transatlantic
Umphrey's McGee
UneXpect
Under the Influence of Giants
Wolf Parade
Wolfmother
Woven
The Velvet Teen
Zero Hour

Artists/Bands who DEFINED 2010-2019 for ME

Here's a semi-accurate list of artists that at this point, when I think of 2010-2019 music, albums +touring, I think of for MY TASTE.

I'm sure I'm missing some names, and would prefer to write even twitter-length blurbs for some, which unlikely but with some time off, maybe I will (right now, I am dealing with no WATER HEATER/NO HOT WATER in my townhouse, so one could guess my priorities).

But we'll see.

I should do an express 2000-20009 list and I am certain already that while I love the names I think for 2010-2019, the 2000-2009 list is rather extensive with a large number of all-time favorites.

Granted, in 2029, the 2010-2019 list THEN may dwarf this current 2010-2019 list, but at this point, I can't deny 2000-2009 I still have more overall love for.

22
Anathema
Arch/Matheos
Barock Project
Josh Benash/Vuvuzela
Bend Sinister
Bent Knee
Brice Plays Drums
Brooke Waggoner
Capital Cities
Cloud Cult
Crippled Black Phoenix
Daft Punk
The Dear Hunter
Dirt Poor Robins
Dream the Electric Sleep
Everything Everything
The Family Crest
Fjokra
Rachel Flowers
Foals
The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra
Gatherer
Gotye
Hotel of the Laughing Tree
iamthemorning
Marketa Irglova
Kimbra
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Major Parkinson
Mayer Hawthorne
The Mercury Tree
Miracles of Modern Science
Janelle Monae
Mutemath
Ne Oliviscaris
Nordic Giants
nosound
Amanda Palmer
The Reign of Kindo/Kindo
The River Empires/The Gloomcatcher/Falling Up
Small Leaks Sink Ships
Esperanza Spalding
Team Me
Timbre
Typhoon
Vektor
Vennart
Warpaint
Steven Wilson

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Rock Hall WISHLIST

This is not a Prediction for the upcoming Nominations, and I made this list like 2 weeks ago but could have and should spent more time with it.

But maybe for another entry.

If I had my druthers, these artists would get in the Hall this year or in the next year or 2.

An Edit or 2nd/different entry maybe I'll include more/more details..or maybe when the actual nominations come in the next month or less.

Jethro Tull
The Monkees
George Michael
INXS
Duran Duran
Phil Collins
King Crimson
Iron Maiden
Renaissance
Megadeth

Friday, September 6, 2019

Marillion - Neverland LYRIC/Message

This song, the lyrics and the MESSAGE I take from it has always struck me as sort of profound and relate-able in some ways.

Probably the passage most is this part:



I want to be someone
I want to be someone
I want to be someone
Who someone would want to be
Someone would want to be

Be "Someone" being FAMOUS, RECOGNIZED, or even RESPECTED.

I honestly think it's a bit of Catch-22, because I seem to yearn for a lot of that, but at the same time, don't want to change or feel like it's "not all it's cracked up to be"..and would rather be obscure, underground or an underdog.

I just think some of the effort and connected-ness I find, I would see more back-end notice, but I rarely have.

Occasionally, from a site or link, and from the selected people who have said kind words to me, which if I tried to tally up, might be well over 100, maybe more like 200 or more.

But people on YouTube or Twitter..Instagram...podcasts see 100's of thousands, millions even.

And are most of them really warranting that much credit and influence?..or attention. They at times seem like they want only the attention.

And Patreon..love many of them, but I don't earn money to give them all even $3 per month.

I dunno, maybe not being someone is for my best, but I just can't avoid feeling like I desire more recognition and may always fail to get it (despite a million hits..a large chunk of which is just referrals per google or unrelated/spammy sites).




It was 15 years ago today...

Sgt Pepper..err

I began my job at what is still my current employer.

technically it is 15 years ago tomorrow, but my Hire date was on 9/6/04.

Where the hell was everyone else on September 6th, 2004?

While in some ways it seems like it has flown by, in a lot of other ways, my life was dramatically different.

15 years...15 fucking years, lol.

I was 28, was still living in my 1st apartment. Things were worse/more difficult, but in a lot of ways things were more innocent, despite the aftermath of things like 9/11 and the Iraqi war, gas prices going up.

My taste in music was definitely changing/expanding.

Medically I wasn't dealing with any of the issues I have been.

And of course I was single, and really not had more than 1 relationship. That was during a long period of doubting myself. I looked much younger than 28. I have pics that I need to scan in that I look about 19 from then, lol.

Here's 1 with Lucy Jordache of Marillion mgmt from around then (June 2005)



It does beg the question in 15 years, will the same series of changes happen? quite possibly more. I'll be 58, lol. Assuming I make it to 2034.

I've been thinking about spilling my guts about the passage of time and other things in here as opposed to 1 or 2 other online spots, which may be reserved for another time soon.

But among the MILESTONES I have reached in the past few years

-10 years in this blog (December 2016)
-1,000,000 Hits in this Blog (March 2019)
-15 Years of employment at the same company (9/6/19)

it does rank up there. I would never have expected it, but I have stayed at my present company given the success of the company and my ability to do different but still related work. I've somehow managed to learn well and adapt to changes. And frankly, get promoted, probably more than I would have expected.

I mean I work in Healthcare and do Project Management of a kind, which is work that is interesting and challenging at times, often in a good way.

Would I prefer to be a Journalist in music or entertainment or sports? certainly. But I'm a REALIST and would like to pay my bills, so writing in a blog and maybe someday a BOOK is the next best thing.

That work may be found more Full-time when I retire, which given the projections, won't be any time close to 58, but maybe more like 78, lol. Not 2034, but 2054? lol.

Then again, I have to be able to live that long, which is no guarantee (although I have good genes for it, for what that's worth).