Cool Links and Goal of the Weekend

Here are some cool links that I think everyone will enjoy on some level...

http://peekvid.com/ - An absolutely awesome website with free access to hundreds of movies, tv shows, etc (some of which are still in theatres...awesome)

Scientific American: Strange but True: Turning a Wobbly Table Will Make It Steady - For every table—turn, turn, turn... there is a proof...I love it when complex mathematical ideas have practical applications....



I wish I knew how to do this in grade 4...amaze kids and adults alike with this simple trick...ahhh...gotta love the power of math...

This weeks Goal of the Weekend goes to Man United's Wayne Rooney, whose sublime chip helped lift the boys from Old Trafford over Pompey in the FA Cup...ROOOONEY!! World class....



I just got some brilliant news today. Italy and Spain await from March 4-12, as I'm off to see the second leg of the Inter Milan - Valencia matchup in Spain, followed by the Milan derby at the San Siro....to say that I am stoked for this would be a HUGE understatement....here's to looking forward to a month from now....For those who don't speak Italian, the clip follows the fortunes of the Inter and Milan commentators during the last Milan derby, won 4-3 by Inter....great game....just watch how it affects these guys...

More New Music....

Here are some tracks that have been on my playlist recently:

The Wombats - Moving To New York - straight ahead indie rock n' roll...

Softlightes - Heart Made of Sound - expect this song to show up in a Zach Braff movie

The Broken West - So It Goes - what the Arcade Fire would sound like if they went country

Bedroom Eyes - Dancing Under The Influence - simply a feelgood song...you have to be dead if this doesn't make you happy...the Decemberists on crack...

And for the soccer fans...here are some great skills from real matches....it's one thing to do it in practice, but another thing entirely to rock a defender at game speed....Taddei's trick at the end is one of the best moves I have ever seen...it's called the hocus pocus and it's my goal to be able to do it by the end of the summer..



Here's another 'hocus pocus' by Christian Wilhelmsson of Sweden and Roma...what a sick move...

New Arcade File and Goal of the Weekend

Hey all....here's two new Arcade Fire tracks from their upcoming album, Neon Bible. One is a live version from a recent concert; the other, a decent radio rip from the Zane Lowe show on BBC1....I'm stoked for this album....sounding a lot like Funeral, which is never a bad thing.

Keep The Car Running (BBC Radio Rip)

The Well and the Lighthouse - Live

While there were better goals scored this weekend, this one gets my vote because I really want to see this guy play for the Italian national team one day. He is currently property of Manchester United, on loan to Parma, where he started his career. His name is Giuseppe Rossi. Remember it...he's gonna be a keeper.....

Giuseppe Rossi control, quick dribble and strike vs. Torino

I'll be back tomorrow with tracks from some great new artists...in the meantime, here's the video for 'Ruby', the new Kaiser Chiefs single...

The Beatles and Concert Fever...

Went see 'Rain: The Beatles Experience' the other night and it was absolutely brilliant. Given that I never had the chance to see them perform live, it was two hours of time travel to a period that was responsible for some of the most influential and beautiful music ever created. Check out www.raintribute.com for more info on the four lads who not only resemble the 'Fab Four'. but sound like them as well. I closed my eyes on several occasions and it literally felt as though The Beatles were performing...pretty awesome. The show will be in Toronto for two weeks, so if you are in town and are a fan of the band (who isn't), definitely consider checking it out.

Since seeing the show, I've been on a bit of a Beatles-buzz...here's a track that I believe is consistently overlooked as one of the Beatles great songs...I'm really digging it at the moment (particularly when the lennon solo kicks in)....these guys were absolute geniuses...not too mention the most prolific band...EVER...no band today or in the future will write as many great songs as these boys did in 10 years...and let's not forget that most of the songs they wrote resonate as much today as they did 35 years ago...



Alright...here's one more...one of the greatest intros in music history...



March marks the beginning of the concert season in the Toronto area...too many shows to list; however, you can guarantee that I'll be attending a few...first on the list iS Bloc Party on March 25 at the Kool Haus...here's a preview of what to expect from that show, with tracks from the openers as well...

Sebastien Grainger - The Rhythm Method

Albert Hammond Jr - In Transit

Bloc Party - Uniform (from their new album, A Weekend In The City)


In case you feel like dancing, here are two tracks from a band that is getting a lot of hype on the net...

Klaxons - Atlantis to Interzone

Klaxons - Golden Skans

New Music...

For those who have a hard time keeping their ear to the ground, here are some bands you might be hearing a lot more of in 2007:

Cold War Kids - We Used To Vacation

Cold War Kids - Hospital Beds

The Acorn - Spring Thaw

The Fratellis - Creeping Up The Backstairs

The Fratellis - Flathead

Can Joann - After The Seizure's Gone

This was on Much Music late the other night...single of the year, perhaps?

The First Must See Film of 2007?

Now Magazine may be right...I've had the trailer for this film for awhile now, and it is finally screening in Toronto. Check it out...


TRIGGERED TENSION
By CAMERON BAILEY

13 TZAMETI written and directed by Géla Babluani, with George Babluani, Aurélien Recoing, Philippe Passon and Pascal Bongard. 93 minutes. Subtitled. Opens Friday (January 19) at the Royal. See Indie & Rep listings, page 74. Rating: NNNNN

Some of us won't watch movies like the Saw series, Hostel or Turistas, because we can't stomach the gore.

But torturetainment surely serves a purpose in an Abu Ghraib era. If a movie's shock violence makes you avert your eyes, at least you're still capable of being shocked.

Géla Babluani's 13 Tzameti is shockingly good, but its brutal images serve higher gods than the grindhouse gore fed to teenagers each Halloween.

It's not too much of a stretch to call this French-Georgian drama a philosophical thriller. Shot in gorgeous black-and-white and rigorously free of splatter, this is an elegant lesson in cranking up tension.

Relying on the old-school crafts of writing, performance, camera work, cutting and music, Babluani can still send your hands flying up to cover your eyes. But it's not what you see that makes this movie work, it's how and where it directs your attention.

In his feature debut, Babluani casts his younger brother George in the lead role of Sébastien, a desperately poor immigrant to France. (Both are sons of director Temur Babluani, a star of Soviet Georgian cinema.) While working construction in the home of a ruined old Frenchman, he spies a letter promising fortunes. When the old man dies, Sébastien follows the letter's instructions and enters a world of terror.

13 Tzameti ("tzameti" means 13 in Georgian) works best if you don't know what's coming, so for those who want to take this movie in one cold, clean shot, just know that it's the first must-see film of the year and stop reading here.

What Sébastien finds at a secluded house in the French countryside is a gentleman's club placing bets on Russian roulette. He has unwittingly signed up to play, so he's forced to join the other wretches standing in a circle, each one pointing a gun at the next man's head. In the first round, each has one bullet in his revolver. Bang. In the second round, two bullets. And so on, until there's just one quivering winner left standing.

13 Tzameti could easily have gone the exploitation route of those notorious "bumfight" videos, but instead Babluani's combination of technical precision, nods to film history and remorseless macho gives the film a philosophical or even spiritual dimension.

Nothing clarifies your notions of fate like a half-loaded gun cocked at your skull. Each sequence has stark consequences, and the film builds from pastoral realism to nightmarish intensity with bracing, intelligent rigour. By the end, it's practically Zen in its variety of open-ended meanings.

Babluani's second film, The Legacy, premieres later this month at the Sundance festival. If it's anywhere near as good as 13 Tzameti, it'll confirm the arrival of a major new talent.

Mother Nature Is Pissed!!!

This is some of the craziest footage I have ever seen!! I guess Mother Nature aint none too pleased with the influx of corporate money into athletics (hmph...signboards)....gotta love her...she's a purist...



I feel sorry for the players who are unfortunate enough to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time...they had no idea...could this be yet another freak incident related to the mass hysteria that is global warming?


This next clip...well...let's just say this boys are sick!



Robinho vs Falcao (the world's best Futsal player)



Remember...it's all about the 'ginga'...

Pickin' and Strummin' / Ali Ali Oxy Free

For those who know me well, you will know that where music is concerned, I love nothing more than to hear a ripping guitar solo, some dirty riffing or sharp, angular guitars beautifully complimenting one another. That being said, I must admit that I have a soft spot for acoustic guitar tracks. Unlike their electrical counterparts, acoustic tracks rely more on the subtle interplay between a songwriter's voice and the instrument he/she plays...this medium exposes the songwriter infinitely more than a layered barrage of instrumentation. It is this that gives the acoustic guitar its power, and it is this that allows songwriters to write some insanely affecting stuff...

Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day

Matt Kearney - Chicago

Sparrow House - When I Am Gone

Radiohead - Gagging Order

Radiohead - True Love Waits (live)

The Decemberists - Red Right Ankle

Damien Rice - The Rat Within The Grain

Slowbear the Great - Banquet (Bloc Party Cover)

Howie Beck - Reptilia (Strokes Cover)

Jack Johnson - Taylor

Chris Martin/Noel Gallagher - Live Forever (live)



And how crazy was 24 the other night?! That fourth episode was one of the most riveting hours of television I've seen since my favourite show (Six Feet Under) went off the air. It's not the most intellctual show on television, but damn is it addictive. Yes, it's over the top and yes, it's absurd at times...what is scary; however, is that most of the absurdness is plausible. On some level, the show is a valid commentary on the state of the planet and its politics, but at the end of the day, it's simply great entertainment.

I started reading a great new book last night entitled the Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. I'm about 20 pages in and so many great ideas have been introduced already. I have a feeling this one is going to eventually make it onto my favourite books list. Most interesting so far is the idea of eternal return. Nietzsche was the first to propose this concept, which states that everything humanity is to experience, it has already experienced in the past and will continue to experience ad infinitum. "If every second of our lives recurs an infinite number of times, we are nailed to eternity as Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross. It is a terrifying prospect. In the world of eternal return the weight of unbearable responsibility lies heavy on every move we make. That is why Nietzsche called the idea of eternal return the heaviest of burdens." (from the novel)

Conversely, if we suppose that everything we encounter in life occurs for the first time as we authour it, then our lives begin to carry a certain amount of lightness.

"If the French Revolution were to recur eternally, French his­torians would be less proud of Robespierre. But because they deal with something that will not return, the bloody years of the Revolu­tion have turned into mere words, theories, and discussions, have become lighter than feathers, frightening no one. There is an in­finite difference between a Robespierre who occurs only once in his­tory and a Robespierre who eternally returns, chopping off French heads. " (also from the novel)

It seems as though the idea of eternal return is a peferct encapsulation of the human condition. On one hand, we like to believe we have the power the shape our lives and choose that which happens to us...on the other, we know that there are forces beyond our control which serve to shape our existence as well (call these fate, chance or whatever you like). It is the struggle between these two worlds that prompts us to search for meaning in the world around us. If you've read Camus, this idea relates to the 'absurdity' of human existence, insofar as our struggle to find meaning in the world around us is met silence and indifference from the world in which we live (although it must be noted that Camus believes this 'silence' to be a result of godlessness):

"The absurd is not in man nor in the world, but in their presence together...it is the only bond uniting them" (The Myth of Sisyphus, p.21)

The world of Kundera's novel is one in which lives are shaped by irrevocable choices and fortuitous events. It is a world in which, because everything occurs only once and then disappears into the past, existence seems to lose its substance and weight. Coping with both the consequences of their own actions and desires and the intruding demands of society and the state, Kundera's characters struggle to construct lives of individual value and lasting meaning. (from the back sleeve of the novel)

Thus, the question becomes : do we choose weight or lightness? I say we just choose to exist...that's about the only thing we can know for sure anyway...to attempt anything more would be absurd.


Oh ya....happy birthday to Muhammed Ali, who turns 65 today...float like a butterfly, sting like a bee...

Goals of the Weekend

I'm hoping to make this a regular feature on Mondays...it was a slow weekend overall...not too many stunning goals...but here are my pick of the bunch from two great players...

Martins vs. Tottenham - You have to admire how much power he gets on this strike, considering the ball is within his feet...the goalie was not ready for this...great strike.

Ibrahimovic vs. Torino - Not an easy skill to get off the ground and volley the ball across the keeper like this...to hit a ball as it's travelling upward and keep it down the way he did is impressive...great technique and coordination...

Sorry...no music for today...busy day at work and 24 is on tonight....

I'm trying to decide what to post next...i'm torn between my top 15 songs of 2006, or a post dedicated to acoustic guitar tracks...let me know what you'd prefer....

PAN'S LABYRINTH

If you do yourself one favour in the month of January, you must go and see this film. The buzz is warranted. An adult fairytale that strays away from the traditional morality-based childhood fable, Pan's Labyrinth is set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. It's a fairy tale dressed up in horror-movie clothing. The story revolves around an imaginative young girl named Ofelia, whose widowed mother has recently married Vidal, a captain in Franco's fascist army. As the film begins, mother and daughter are en route to the country house where the captain has been staying while waging a campaign to wipe out the small band of resistance fighters that still occupy the surrounding hills. Harsh, brutal and completely devoid of affection for his new family, Vidal is a classic wicked-stepfather figure and Ofelia spends most of her time trying to avoid him. But grim reality soon gives way to elaborate fantasy when the girl is approached by the magical faun Pan who informs her that she is actually the long-lost daughter of the king of the underworld (if you were wondering, this is the creature you see in the top left corner of the blog...i don't think i've ever been as drawn to a movie character...he represents the duality that permeates much of the film...on the one hand, you will find him grotesque, but at the same time, it is hard to look away...and you never can decipher the true intent of his intentions for Ofelia). In order to be reunited with her "real" parents, Ofelia must complete three tasks, which bring her face-to-face with a giant toad, a faceless monster and, inevitably, Vidal.

I don't want to give too much away, so if what I've already written intrigues you, do not read any further. There are so many things about this movie that I loved. For one, I am a fan of fairy tales in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm, stories which are dark and antithetical to the happy-ending type stories that we were read as children. The cinematography in the film is stunning and some of the visuals are mindblowing (the transitions between scenes are especially sublime). I had not yet seen a Del Toro film, but I have to concede that he definitely has one the most active imaginations I have ever been privy too. Although it may not be readily apparent as one watches the film, the events of the fantastical world echo/mirror those of the real world. This is the genius of Del Toro's script...the two worlds inform one another. It is up to the viewer to decide what is real and what is not.

To my mind, the movie can also be viewed as allegorical, as the events of the Spanish Civil War could easily be sustituted with some of history's largest atrocities (e.g. the Holocaust) or those of the present day (namely Iraq).

Gary Jules - Mad World

Vidal believes that what he is doing is right and that it is the only way. He is not simply trying to be a tyrant...he genuinely believes that his cause is just. In this same way, men like Stalin, Hitler, Hussein, Bin Laden, even Bush, also represent this blind adherence to their own 'truths'. In my mind, this movie uses the vehicle of childhood - and the innocence it represents - to posit the tenet that we may be better served to disobey than obey. In this sense, it is unlike the traditional morality fable (i.e. it does not inform us to be "good"). In some situations, questioning our reality and being disobedient to authority may lead to more desirable outcomes. Ofelia represents the opposite of Vidal, and shows us that while remaining true to your convictions often leads to the path of greatest resistance, it is through this suffering that beauty and salvation can be found. This idea brings to light the film's final message, that beauty is all around us, we just have to look hard enough to see it. Ofelia creates a fantasy world that allows her to endure her existence in reality...she creates beauty and meaning from her suffering...and we should attempt to do the same.

There Is So Much Beauty In The World - Ricky Fitz (from American Beauty)

Here's an example of what I'm talking about (Thanks Cecily;-))...

Caterpillars and Monarchs

Alright...that's enough philosophy for one day...although I should also mention that you see Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron. Many of the same themes and messages permeate these two films...I guess it's a Mexican thing, chico...

Since we're on the topic of childhood, here's a track that sure a lot of you will enjoy...it's sung from the point of view of a child and captures the innocence and nostalgia of that time in our lives...

Nizlopi - JCB Song

Football Picks...

What would a weekend in January be without some NFL playoffs? Here are my picks:

Colts (Manning will finally shut up the critics and beat a good defence at crunchtime)

Saints (too much firepower for the Eagles, who barely scraped by last week at home...playing at the Superdome almost makes this a no-brainer...Mr. Garcia, your time is up)

Bears (Sexy Rexy will show up this weekend...Seahawks barely survived last week (ROOOOO-MOOOO!!!) and will be in tough to pull one out in chilly Chicago, who are hosting their first playoff game in quite some time)

Chargers (I think the Patriots looked too good last week against an overmatched Jet's team...the Chargers at home are a totally different proposition...and besides, they have Mr. Steroids, Shawn Merriman)

Chargers over the fairytale Saints in the Superbowl.

P.S. Redskins in '08...

And what would a blog post be without some music. Here's a band I'm that I'm sure I'll be posting more of in the future, given that I'm kind of in love with them. They're called Pearl Jam...you may have heard some of their stuff. The first clip is funny, but you have to wait for it. The second is just a great cover...

Pearl Jam - I Used To Work In Chicago

Pearl Jam - Throw Your Arms Around Me (Hunters/Collectors cover)

Hypotheticals, Becks and Holding Steady

Here are some interesting hypotheticals from Chuck Klosterman, an author who contributes regularly to Spin Magazine. His recent novels, Sex, Drugs and CocoaPuffs and Chuck Klosterman IV are great pop culture reads. In my opinion, the most enjoyable aspect of these works are the hypotheticals he uses as a means of prefacing stories or to lend credence to a point he is trying to make. They are thought provoking and more high-brow than the "would you rather" scenarios you commonly hear. Here are some examples....let me know if you enjoy them, I can post more periodically..

1. Let us assume you met a rudimentary magician. Let us assume he can do five simple tricks--he can pull a rabbit out of his hat, he can make a coin disappear, he can turn the ace of spades into the Joker card, and two others in a similar vein. These are his only tricks and he can't learn any more; he can only do these five. HOWEVER, it turns out he's doing these five tricks with real magic. It's not an illusion; he can actually conjure the bunny out of the ether and he can move the coin through space. He's legitimately magical, but extremely limited in scope and influence.Would this person be more impressive than Albert Einstein? (from Sex, Drugs and CocaoPuffs)

2. At long last, someone invents "the dream VCR." This machine allows you to tape an entire evening's worth of your own dreams, which you can then watch at your leisure. However, the inventor of the dream VCR will only allow you to use this device if you agree to a strange caveat: When you watch your dreams, you must do so with your family and your closest friends in the same room. They get to watch your dreams along with you. And if you don't agree to this, you can't use the dream VCR. Would you still do this? (from Sex, Drugs and CocaoPuffs)


Given that David Beckham is all over the news today, here's a clip of what is, in my opinion, his best ever free-kick. It was also his last in a Man Utd jersey....Every time I watch this goal, I am stunned...technique, pace of the ball, accuracy, hitting the ball across the keeper from that side of the box...truly special...ya...i love him...

Becks vs. Everton


My musical post of the day concerns a band that has been around awhile, but only recently caught my ears. Their most recent album, Boys and Girls In America has received a lot of blog love, not to mention critical acclaim. I have to say that the buzz is warranted. Great instrumentation, lyrics that aren't so much sung as they are spoken...just great rock and roll...what the Counting Crows would have sounded like if they decided to let their hair down a bit...Here are some tracks from the aforementioned album:

The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations

The Hold Steady - Chips Ahoy


The Slip are a band who grabbed my attention with their inclusion on the original Guitar Hero. I must have played 'Even Rats' 200 times already. G-Unit...these are for you...

The Slip - Even Rats

The Slip - Children of December

Is It So Wrong...To Crave Recognition...

Well, I guess the Cock Party musings can begin now that Bloc Party frontman Kele Okerke has come out of the proverbial 'closet' (what do they keep in there anyway?)...hopefully this admission doesn't overshadow the fact that his band have released a more than adequate sophomore album, A Weekend In The City. Below is the first single off the record, which has the band striving to bit a bit more accessible (not to be confused with selling out)...in my opinion, this record is not as strong as the first, if only for the fact that Silent Alarm was a complete slap in the face with respect to novelty...no band was writing like that at the time. It becomes harder to re-invent yourself with each passing album, and Bloc Party have done an excellent job at doing just that. For those who miss the old sound, just wait until you hear the last two minutes of 'Uniform', another track off the new disc...it will knock you on your ass.

Bloc Party - The Prayer

Since we're on the topic of bands who've had to re-invent themselves on subsequent albums, here is a track that will likely feature on Radiohead's new disc, due out later this year. This song is haunting, not to mention absolutely gorgeous (or as gorgeous as a song about death can be). I can't wait for it to get the full band treatment...and any band who finds a way to drop the name Mephistopheles into a song has to be considered genius in some capacity...

Thom Yorke - Videotape

The last track of the day is a rocker, pure and simple. One of the reasons I love music is for the small moments in songs that capture your attention. This track has one of those moments at around the 1:25 mark (halfway through the song)...i love crisp, clean guitar notes and the way the two guitars intermesh at this juncture in the song is sonic bliss to my ears...

Birdmonster - Cause You Can

Changing gears a little, here's one of my favourite move quotes ever from Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting:

Why Shouldn't I Work For The NSA

Other stuff:

1. How good are green olives?! This question is rhetorical, insofar as they are effin brilliant. The make any sandwich taste better, save for nutella and peanut butter, which is obviously in a class of its own if you have ever had the pleasure of tasting these two spreads together...

2. How stoked am I that I am finally going to see my man-crush in person? This too, my friends, is a rhetorical question. David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy today, and I have the good fortune of having season tickets for Toronto FC this summer...i cannot wait to see the man strike a ball in person...

3. If you want to laugh, be sure to tune into Telelatino this Saturday to watch the first NHL game broadcast in Italian...I'll be at the game (poor me), although I'll definitely be watching with bemusement in the private box...a hockey game....in Italian!! Now that's funny...if not an oxymoron of sorts...

Random fun stuff...

Here's some cool stuff floating around the net...

This first clip is from a guy in Australia who takes the four chords in Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' and runs through a brief history of pop music using only these four chords...pretty creative...see how many songs you can pick out. My favorite part of the clip, though, has to be the guy in the background playing video games as if nothing is happening...funny



A little nostalgia...



And for those who have yet to see this....well....enjoy



More music to come later on today...

The Big Bang....I Guess It All Starts From Here

Well....the inaugural post...i guess you always want your first post to be a memorable one, so here's my hurried attempt at posterity...

I think it's only fitting that my first post include a link to the song that inspired the name behind the blog. For those who haven't figured it out already, you'll hear it in the first minute...a lyric that captures the essence of all who blog music...music is that constant companion...that voice inside your head...it means different things to different people, but its ability to affect us is universal...so, here's to listening to that voice...and to having your legs dance to it...

State of Love and Trust mp3

I know this song has been all over the blogs recently, but it is an absolute piledriver. Yes, my friends, the Arcade Fire are back...and with a vengeance. The first part of this track gets your toes tapping, but it's when Win's vocal kicks in that you hairs will stand on end...stunning...absolutely cannot wait for this one.

The Arcade Fire - Black Wave/Bad Vibrations

The Veils track is one from their most recent album, Nux Vomica, and is Arcade Fire-y sans the female vocals...great energy in this track. And what can you say about the lead singer's voice...it's so hard to be unique as a vocalist today and that voice certainly stands out...

The Veils Pan mp3



Oh yeah...here are my picks for the goals (soccer) of 2006...yes...there will be plenty more goals where these came from...





oops, almost forgot...this goal is absolutely disgusting...instinct is a wonderful thing...and by a defender no less!!



Well...that does it for the first post...onward and upward...