more or less specific

The Milky Way over the Burning Bush http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/8576212754/

Loves: Sometimes when out in public I’ll catch someone’s eye by accident, and smile at them out of habit. (Though second nature and seemingly caused by reflex, my smiles are genuine, I promise.) But the best part is when I get a happy and equally genuine smile in return from a complete stranger. This happens very rarely, but when it does it’s certainly something worth remembering. It’s the kind of smile that makes you wonder if you would have become friends if you had actually said “Hello”.



Hates: People who get an asinine sense of smugness because they “don’t watch TV”. The ironic part is that nowadays most people are generally on the Internet for just as many hours as they would be watching said TV anyway. But don’t try and tell me that staring blankly at a computer screen for three hours makes you any better than someone who stares blankly at a TV screen for three hours. There are just as many stupid (or intelligent) websites that people spend time looking at as there are stupid (or intelligent) TV programs. 




Loves: Infectious laughter. The kind that starts as something funny and somehow gets even funnier after a few minutes. The kind that makes you look back on it days later and crack up again. The kind that makes you feel silly when retelling it to someone else because there is NO possible way they could understand how or why it was so funny in the first place.




Hates: I am absolutely convinced that the cartoon “Ed, Edd and Eddy” was created just so they’d have an excuse to call a character “Double D” with a verifiable reason. It wouldn’t annoy me so much if this show were even a little clever, or funny. Sadly, it is neither.




Loves: I love this country. It pains me that the popular opinion of America is so poor, and that people in other countries can be so stupid as to make judgments based on the actions of a few people (whether they be our leaders, or even a single rude tourist). This country is the most giving, the most willing to help… and the least appreciated.




Hates: Zealots. The ones that try to convert EVERYONE - or at least try to massively guilt trip those who won’t. Any kind. I find some vegetarians to be just as annoying and pushy as evangelistic holy rollers straight out of the Bible Belt.


Loves: Adding sound effects to mundane gestures. Like making a whip-crack noise to an air-five, a’la “The Todd” from Scrubs.


Hates: The fact that I love Starbucks. Is it a fear of seeming yuppie? A trendy yearning to be “anti-establishment”? No, they’re just really fucking expensive. 

Former Anti-War Activist.

22
JUL
I’ve often been referred to as a musical snob or musical elitist by people. Which is fine.. I’d rather be referred to as a musical snob than just a snob by people. I know I can be picky… but I can’t help it. I like what I like. So I started contemplating what I actually like about the music I like. Here’s the list so far that I’ve come up with. Keep in mind, this isn’t complete.

1.) Intensity and Energy – I like music that pushes the listener. It doesn’t necessarily have to be fast or heavy. An example would be “I’ve Seen It All” by Bjork. The song is neither fast nor heavy. But the lyrical content and emotive vocals really crank the intensity up.

2.) Polyphony- I like it when a band with multiple guitarists actually utilize both and don’t just have them “double up.” At The Drive-In was incredible at doing this. They actually ventured away from the concept of lead and rhythm and even delved into the realm of counterpoint melody. Well not in the strictest sense. But they were on the right track. I also love when the bass is utilized not only as a harmonic device but as a melodic vehicle in conjunction with guitar, keyboard, etc.

3.) Polyrhythms – I love 3 over 2 polyrhythms. I mean tastefully used. Not like all the time. I can’t get enough of it. This tends to happen a lot with metal music, which I’m not always crazy about, but theres no better therapy than moshing at a concert with complete strangers to music you can scream your head off at

4.) 6/8 Time – I love 6/8 time. Not sure why. But it may relate a bit to 3. Again, very common with metal music.

5.) Multiple Vocalists – I like music that incorporates multiple vocalists, preferably with different ranges, styles, lyrics, etc. Screamo does this a lot. But sometimes it seems like its done by convention and nothing more. But I still tend to gravitate towards it. To a lesser extent and a slightly different category, I like when vocalists incorporate a style that is counter to the music being played (i.e. Rage Against The Machine)

6.) Key of D – Again, I’m not sure why. But I gravitate towards songs in this key. A lot of times if I hear a song I like, I’ll mutter to myself, “I bet its in D.” Weird, I know.

7.) Style Changes mid-song – I love it when musicians can incorporate a radical style change in the middle of a song. Not everyone is good at this and it blows when it isn’t done correctly. The prime example I can think of is Mr. Bungle’s self-titled album. Few can match its ability to seamlessly switch styles.

8.) Songs which are led by the bass – I know your initial thinking is Primus. But that’s more a novelty to me at this point. I was thinking more along the lines of the song “In The Meantime” by Spacehog. The bassline drives the song yet is surprisingly simple.

9.) Great Drumming – I secretly think I should have been a drummer, instead of a photographer in life. I mean, I play drums, I’ve owned a drum set, I know how to play…but I don’t play. Its who I always tend to watch. Elvin Jones, you are the man (RIP).
And drummers are pretty cute, to boot.

10.) Non-conventional Voices – Just to name a few, Les Claypool, Cedric Bixlar, Ben Gibbard, Mike Patton, etc.

11.) Incredible Musicianship – This is a double-edged sword for me. I am instantly drawn to phenomenal players. But my interest usually wanes if there isn’t more depth to the music.

12.) Unusually cadenced lyrics. Enough said.