So I'm pretty shit

Cus I keep forgetting to actually write about some of the films I've been watching. So here's a mega (or not-so-mega depending on how bored I get halfway through) post of what's been going on in film (and maybe some music thrown in for good measure.

Let's start with the good; Adventureland. F-to-the-UNTIMES. I really liked this film, there's just something about it thats so likeable. If you've seen the trailer, you might have thought, like me, that it was pitched as a very in your face comedy. Highlighting the fact that it's from director Greg Mottola (who directed Superbad and is set to direct Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's next creation, Paul) and features roles from the likes of Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Reynolds and Martin Starr, I was given the impression that this would be another rollercoaster ride of a comedy. What I actually saw was something even better, a film worth watching again and again. I'd put the style of the film somewhere between a low-profile indie flick and a Wes Anderson masterpiece. It's just quirky enough to not be too mainstream, but contains enough of the usual Hader/Wiig antics that'll make it so popular.

And now some bad:
Land of the Lost - I gave up about 20 minutes in. It made no sense at all. Not even Anna Friel can save this monstrosity
Dragonball Evolution - Just...what.

And some mildly average:
Van Wilder: Freshman Year - Not great, but not entirely bad either. I'm sure everyone who will watch it will completely disagree, but there are definitely some parts of this which are worthy of a chuckle or two.
Watchmen - Not having ready the comic books, this film would probably have made more sense. It was alrite and everything, there were just bits of it that were all like "meh" and stuff (You can tell i'm really trying here can't you?)
17 Again - Yeah, not bad. Obviously not great, cus frankly its been done before and better (Tom Hanks you legend). Although, one major flaw with the entire film is that the wife doesn't seem to realise that her husband is now a kid. Not just any kid, but the kid she went out with in high school and had a baby with (*SPOILER ALERT* that last bit was a spoiler...shit, i've done that wrong havn't I?). Frankly "oh, you look a bit like my husband used to" doesn't really cut it. You'd think you'd KNOW what they looked like and you'd be all "MIIIIIINDFUUUUUCK" or something.

And now for some more good stuff! YAY FOR GOODIES!

Well I haven't actually got any more goodies film-wise, but...ummm...Chappelle's Show is awesome! Couple of years old now, but you can't go wrong with a bit o' racist banter huh! I've also been watching Breaking Bad, havn't quite managed to finish the 2nd season yet as I've had work to do etc. But I will, don't you worry. There's also a long list of stuff that I should watch before the new series starts in September, but I'm not going to bore you with it (mostly cus it's all gay stuff like Grey's Anatomy)

In terms of music, the new Calvin Harris song, "Ready for the Weekend" has some pretty good remixes. Official ones too, good ol' Calvin Schmalvin got Fake Blood and High Contrast to do some pretty awesome mixes. I have yet to decide which is better, altho i'm leaning slightly towards the High Contrast remix. However I'm thinking that if I heard the Fake Blood mix on a fat bass system on a night at Custard, i'd still blow a load. (THAT IMAGE DOING ANYTHING FOR YA?!?!). You can find the tunes over at hypemachine, just do that thing with the search box and your keyboard.

I think that's it from me. I turn 21 on Saturday, which is nice and everything. I believe Tubs is over at Latitude for the weekend, so I'm sure she'll have some updates for you when she gets back.

~ Lazy

Danger! Love!

Hello kiddiewinks! How are we this glorious, greying day?
It is I, Tubs, appearing on your computer screens to talk about SCIENCE. No, wait... MUSIC.


I bought the new Decemberists' album Hazards of Love a while back and have been meaning to write about it ever since, but it's been sunny and I don't get paid to write this crap. However, now I venture...

Hazards of Love is a concept album inspired by an EP of the same name by an old folk singer called Anne Briggs, who Colin Meloy has mentioned before. She is proper, original folk; the kind of stuff your parents probably listened to when they were getting stoned around a fire. I imagine that's what all of your parents did, right? In any case, she's just one of those obvious influences if only because Meloy has regularly mentioned her. That's all you would need to know about that if necessity were a feature at all.
Just in case you're not clued in to The Decemberists, they can be simplified down to folk-rock that dips into 'progressive' now and then. Colin Meloy has a style that has been referred to as pretentious, but fuck that; he just tells good folk tales using wonderful wording. Also they have good timbre. Delicious. More accordions in music please!
Anyhoo, this is their fifth album but is different to their previous work and is my favourite as it is consistently great. It is also super-epic. It is a sort of rock-opera revolving around some chick named Margaret, but the narrative is vague enough to not get in the way of the music as it is. Meloy's wonderfully lyrical way with words isn't lost here despite my unusual disinterest in the content, and definitely gains new ground with Becky Stark as guest vocalist. It just sounds great. There's a brilliant use of dynamics, ranging from sweet and sensitive guitar to massive rock lurches that are almost obnoxious, and I feel I should note that I'm getting a big Pink Floyd vibe. That's not just because of the big kids chorus number near the end of the tale which, by the by, happens to be my favourite chapter of the album; in many ways it's incredibly eerie, but is somehow lovely as well. (Reminds me of Zelda: Ocarina of Time a bit for some reason...) It just feels ridiculously clever.
Hazards of Love is probably my favourite album of the year so far, because it is immediately heart-crushingly luxurious and dramatic. It's a wonderful piece of work and I urge you to purchase it post-haste! And then listen to it all in one go, since there is no divide between each 'single' - it must be appreciated wholly, like a good film. Don't spotify it because the adverts will ruin it and that will make me sad.

I'm going to go and drink lots of water for my hangover now. Good day to you!

-Tubs