The Dicky Print - 12/30/11

I’ve made images that incorporate text as a sort of canvas that creates an image when seen from certain distances, usually important people or writer’s whose faces are inside words they had said or written. I had called the series of these images “Speech,” because frankly I wasn’t in the mood to think of something that wasn’t straight out of an art school show. I have made a considerable amount of money with these images, mostly for the Artrageous auctions where the proceeds go to fund various programs and supplies at Montserrat College of Art. The first one I ever made featured Abraham Lincoln. That’s the back story as to these images. Now I want to tell you the back story to this one.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are a ska-punk band that was formed in 1983 in Boston, Massachusetts and during the 90’s became one of the key bands that brought this genre into mainstream music. With over 20 years under their belts as a band and even after the passing of ska punk’s mainstream influence they are still going strong. Every year, they preform a special series of concerts in Boston known as the Hometown Throwdown as a way to thank their local fan base and to end the year with a bang. I have been fortunate enough to attend this event for three years. The energy in these concerts is really unlike anything else I know and I can’t get enough of it.

Every completed piece in “Speech” usually focuses on a dead politician or writer, someone who has left words behind that have been remembered. The reason I create these images at all is because that these people who left those words or wrote the speeches and passages that are still with us today are still very much alive because of them. The words give them a sorta of life of their own. And to me personally, the songs of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones have been music thank I can learn from. This band makes me happy that I happen to live in this part of the world near Boston, hell, it even makes me feel proud to be from this area. And I wanted to get that feeling down somehow. So I decided to make a “speech” for someone who was still alive, the song writer and front man himself Dicky Barrett.

I used the song that I had heard the most by the Bosstones “The Impression That I Get” (below) which was played heavily during the nineties and the song that launched their career into the mainstream. It was either that or the first Bosstones song that I ever heard, called “I Wrote It.” Finding the right image to use as reference was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, I managed to stumble on a great site online and found exactly what I was looking for (also below). I tried to make this one a little differently, using more materials to create a greater sense of depth with colors. The transparent layers stacked up on each other like an animation cel, everything stacked on top of each other in the right order. I was constricted by the text from the song but it wasn’t too great of a hassle to work with. I had to make sure everything fit together nicely or else the whole thing would fall to crap.

After finally getting the layers together, constantly trying to frame it straight and almost killing myself every time I messed up and had to try again, I did manage to finish the damn thing. I would like to think that this piece was the next step in how I make these particular pieces of art, but I had to make sure that I kept the same sensibilities in this piece that I had when I made the first print with Abraham Lincoln. So I had finally gotten it done despite setbacks.

I decided to give it to Dicky himself, a fan gift I suppose. I felt it was the least I could do for a man who had written songs that have offered me a great many things. They helped me unwind when I desperately needed to, offered me ideas about how to write and gave me insight on things that I was clueless about otherwise. I suppose I could call him a hero of mine because of how much I respect him. I had thought to deliver it somehow at the upcoming throwdown, but the likelihood of this actually working was slim. I lived on the Bosstones fan forums for any possible clues and I discovered my possible opportunity. On the evening before the third show, the band met up at an Irish bar called “McGreevy’s” on Boylston St. in Boston for a fan meet and greet. After the times were confirmed,

So I got on the train that evening on December 30th 2011, heading to a place I’d never been to before carrying the print in a plastic sleeve in my messenger bag. I found the bar. Got in the unruly crowd within the bar, sneaking through whoever I could to get to the back. I remember seeing a lot of the people from the show I attended a few days before, it was a little crazy. But to make a long story short:

I didn’t sign the back of the print, I felt that putting my name on it would be cheap but I ultimately wish I did. But given certain facts I think it's best that I didn't use this to promote myself, this wasn't that kind of thing. I was able to bring 2011 to a proper close. I met the man, I gave him the art, mission accomplished. It was weird meeting Dicky Barrett in person because on one hand, there is the whole hero aspect in your head and on the other you know he’s a human being too. But I digress, not everyone gets the chance to have meetings like this with people like Dicky Barrett let alone to be praised by people like Dicky Barrett for making something like the print. Because now when I look at that picture, I can know that the work I did was appreciated by someone who I respect and when it comes to the times when you think to yourself that your not good enough, it makes a world of difference.

So that's the story. I didn’t mean to sound sentimental or mushy, I suppose it can’t be helped. I'm putting up here in the ethers of the internet for the world to read. I can only hope that you, dear readers, can get something from all this. And that I don't get sued. But that's just something I hope for every day when I wake up.

-Jordan

http://www.bosstonesmusic.com/ 

Reference image from skapunkphotos.com

Album Review(s): Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, Scott Pilgrim OMST

Rather than the usual one album review, I think I'm going to try and change it up a little bit. I've listened to quite a bit of new music recently, so I'll go over each of them in about a paragraph or two.

Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News

Rating: Mellow/Good Natured - 3.5/4.0
So this was Modest Mouse breakthrough album, big singles being "Float On" and"Ocean Breathes Salty". It's relatively mellow as many indie rock albums seem to be, but we have tracks that have a faster tempo, staying true to the alternative rock genre it has also be classified under. The album is solid, there aren't any weird throwaway tracks that throw off the pace or flow of the music. It's good, although it doesn't grab me as a "must listen to all the time" album. Tracks to listen for are Float On, The Devil's Workshop, The View and One Chance. Special mention to Satin in a Coffin.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Rating - Moody/Dramatic-4.0
The follow up album to their first album "Funeral" that happens to be a big favorite of mine. Many people have said that this album surpasses their previous success, I feel it is about the same (although I like Funeral better personally). Four singles on this album, "Black Mirror", "Keep the Car Running", "Intervention" and "No Cars Go", all of which are good tracks. There seems to be strong religious overtones and the questioning of free will in this album, a lot of brooding dramatics that make some tracks like "Neon Bible" a tad too mellow for my usual tastes. However, almost ever song has a good ending that picks it up right before it ends. This sense of religious commentary is reinforced by tracks like "Intervention" with the church organ in the background. Regardless, a good album. Tracks to listen for are the singles mentioned above, "Black Wave / Bad Vibrations" with special mention of "The Well And The Lighthouse"

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Rating - Varied - 3.0/3.5
This one is filled with a cavalcade of nice sounds, music provided by Beck (doing the music for Scott's band Sex Bob-Omb), Metric (For Clash at Demonhead), Broken Social Scene (For Crash and the Boys), etc. Since this a soundtrack I don't there there is much a flow to it unless you see the movie, each song pretty much played during a specific scene that makes you go "Oh yeah, this played when X happened." But what was cool about this album was how it brought the music played by the band in the comic, "Sex Bob-Omb" to life. As with all soundtracks, all the songs have their place in the movie. However, when listening to the whole track rather than just a 30 second cut of it, you begin to wonder why on earth it's there in the first place (I'm looking at you T.Rex). Tracks to look out for are "Scott Pilgrim", "Threshold", and "Ramona". Special mention to "Boring By the Sea", "Sleazy Bed Track" and "Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl".

Now, I have listened to more music than this, but I figure 3 is a good number to stop at. Triforce logic has never steered me wrong. Unless there is a story behind an album, I think I'll just do a condensed review like this. If you, the reader, have an album you think I would enjoy then feel free to make a suggestion.

Paramore - Riot: It's amazing what turns out not to suck after all

So this is out of left field, but I decided to write a review for Paramore's 2007 album, Riot. I originally wanted to do an album review of Cheeseburger's self titled album, but this caught me completely off guard. Now, I have heard of Paramore before, with their rise in popularity and the fact that Hayley Williams is kinda cute without the excessive make up (I AM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THIS) but what ultimately kept me away from this band previously was how they were of the pop rock genre like their deranged cousin Green Day. And allow me to clarify this with you, the way I feel about Green Day is the way I feel about walking into a house condemned because of asbestos. I just don't want to have any part of that rotting piece of shit.

But since I had access to a foreign music on my sister's iPod and had to sit through a car trip, I decided to give them a shot. And I'll tell you now, I actually rather like this album. Williams comes off decent with vocals, I don't really hear anything to unique with the sound but I'm not repulsed nor am I thinking "Oh, this sounds like Avril/ Kelly Clarkson/ etc.). But interestingly enough, it felt like I was listening to the opposite of Lady GaGa. I'm just going on gut feelings with this one, further listening may be required to prove or disprove this theory.

The album starts strong with two songs that I'm relatively certain I have heard several times on the radio ("For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic"/"That's What You Get (When You Let Your Heart Win)") followed up by "Hallelujah" to fill space. Not really wow'd by that track, it's a three star song. Then we have "Misery Business" and that takes us out of 3 and brings things to around a 3.5. Around this time, I started to get that familiar vibe I get from most pop rock songs and albums. The excess in rage and bitterness about mishaps in relationships, lines like "you were the only one for me" then followed by some curd about how it was all thrown away or went to waste, all with the fast pace rock music in the background. Despite this, I continued to listen.

We have a couple of OK songs till we get to "Let the Flames Begin". When I first heard this track, all this talk about burning down houses reminded me of the Used and Yellowcard. I was pleased by how they threw that in, although it reeked of teenage rebellion and escaping. That reeking reminded me of Green Day. After that, we have a series of OK and so so songs till "Fences", which I rather enjoyed. It focuses on how the successful celebrities are destroyed by their own success and all that crap that comes with it (thanks Hollywood). After that, we have the last track and the album is done.

Riot received some really mixed reviews, some people like Gareth Dobson from Drowned in Sound said:

"At 38 minutes long, it's mercifully brief, but still manages to feel like a double album for those who endure it. That is, those who don't manage to forget that it's on the stereo at all. People, get your pop-punk thrills somewhere else. At least somewhere where there are actual thrills to be had."

I can't say I disagree fully with this. The topics of these songs, the crappy boyfriends, the wanting for love, the overall sense of angst and rebellion, all that has been done already by Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch. We could use a hell of a lot less of that. But despite people like Dobson, we have Stylus Magazine giving the album a B+ (which I assume is close to a 4 out of 5) for it's focus on the sound.

4 songs on this album have already become singles, the album has gone double platinum, it's no surprise that Paramore is huge. I am tempted to listen to their other albums, but I'm terrified I'm going to find shit. This is still the pop rock genre and thus, I am walking in a mine field. It is a very strong chance that I can listen to their newer stuff and find myself completely repulsed at how they progressed as a band over the past three years since they released this. But after glancing over the positive scores for the album, perhaps it won't kill me. I like this album, not an all-time favorite perhaps only a I like this for the first few weeks favorite. If you don't feel ashamed listening to what the masses do or what they play on the radio, then it can't kill you. After all, I'm still here.

Although Green Day still sucks and they can all die in a ditch somewhere.

Review from Drowned in Sound:
http://drownedinsound.com/releases/10271/reviews/2133465-?search

Review from Stylus Magazine:
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/paramore/riot.htm

Kele - The Boxer: OH GOD WHY

Back again from my little trip and I'm starting things off with an album review. This one is the solo album done by Kele Okereke the singer of one of my favorite bands Bloc Party. I heard he was doing a solo thing, so because his previous work didn't scare me off (quite the opposite actually) I decided to listen to it. I was later horrified by what I heard. I didn't finish this album, I couldn't bring myself to listen to all of it since it was just so drastically different from what I expected and what I deem "good."

Now I know the first rule of solo projects, NEVER COMPARE IT TO THE ARTIST'S GROUP WORK. And yes, I do tend to tread on this rule because my expectations for Kele are also my expectations for Bloc Party. There are some songs on this album that do not completely repulse me, like the single Tenderoni and Rise. The lyrics are good, he has always been good with words in his songs. It's just the sound of the music that bothers me the most. All electro-metrosexual pop indie bullshit and not a single instrument to remedy it. Now, I don't mind electro sounds or anything but I do not think they should be the sole sound coming in. It needs complementary assistance, be it the guitar/drums/bass of Bloc Party of something else entirely.

I personally do not approve of Kele's move here, going solo is far from a good idea in my mind. However, I am quite biased seeing as how I am quite a Bloc Party fan. I do however recommend that if you are a fan of Bloc Party, at least giving it a try first. Apparently, some people actually like this a lot instead people like me who find some tracks OK and the rest total shit.

The Used - Lies for the Liars: Yes, we all die eventually you don't need to shove it down our throats

This is my first time listening to a full length album by The Used, so I didn't have too much of an opinion going into this thing. And to be frank, it's better to have a clear mind about these things because bias doesn't help a bit. It did relatively well for itself on the Billboard 200 when it came out in 2007, one of the top ten.

The songs focus on the fun ideas of death, time, relationships (surprisingly enough, the positive and negative aspects) and the overall disgusting aspects of human nature. Basic angst material, nothing short of expected. The lyrics themselves aren't anything too complicated, simplistic enough so angst ridden teens won't need to think too hard about what they are listening too. Since the person who wrote these songs is a high school drop out, this does not surprise me.

I think that is enough on ripping on these guys, let me tell you what I did like. Although angst, this isn't our Green Day-grade mass produced bullshit that we seem to find on the radio nowadays between the Lady Gaga songs and today's sorry excuses for Alternative Rock (I'm talking about you Nickelback). I expected some very angry music, 12 tracks of bitter hatred and rants of futility and yes, The Used did deliver but they also offered some rather nice ballads as well, like "Smother Me". Soft and slow music about love in an album I was thinking would be all brambles and thorns? What sorcery is this!?

And then we have some tracks like "Paralyzed" and "With Me Tonight" that had a HORN SECTION. Trumpets! I was ecstatic when I discovered they had thrown that in there, along with the strings in songs like "Bird and the Worm". We have music that is slow, jumpy and of course straight rock and that diversity in sound was not something I was counting on but definitely appreciated.

The album has some good songs around the beginning and the middle, but it tends to lose my interest towards the end. I had to listen to it a couple times to begin to appreciate it. If I was going to give it some sort of rating, it would something along the lines of a 3.5 out 5. Personally, ratings have a nasty way of turning people off to music (which is the opposite of what I want to do most of the time) so despite Mr. 3.5, do give the album a go before making your final judgment.

Pirate Jet and Dynames Model Complete

The third addition to the Plastic Beach series has been completed with "Pirate Jet - Taps Running." Traced out a F-86 Sabre in Illustrator, went to town with some dripping brushes in Photoshop and gave it a color job that would make the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine jealous. Funny thing I should mention Scooby Doo, because the song "Pirate Jet" reminds me terribly of that show with it's eerie and cheery melody that makes for a good last track for the album.

The melting effect is there to illustrate two things in particular, the fact that the plane is plastic and that plastic can be a sort of creative force. The lyrics of the album Plastic Beach (see the posts of March 2010) concerns consumerism and ecology-related themes, how we pollute and how we aimlessly follow and what have you. After all that bitterness, the last track comes with this happy tune, saying that there is some optimism to be found within all this if you consider the other side of this perspective. Plastic can be used for creative means and expression as well as destruction of ecology, after all, plastic is made from materials found on this planet so perhaps it isn't as fake as we all think.

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but since I didn't have a camera to use it was placed on hold for some time. I finished Dynames last month, a couple of nights after I posted it's unfinished state here. It has been an enjoyable model to build as well as have completed on my desk. The design they used for this model is amazing, a lot more points of circulation that I was expecting for those dynamic poses. And best of all, painting it wasn't as much of a hell hole as it had been with other models I've done in the past. A good model all and all, although it could probably stand a few more touch ups on the smaller sections.

Pictures of Dynames taken by Teague Lyons of Zuul Arcade

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach: It wasn't what I was expecting

Plastic Beach, the location on the globe where all the collective rubbish and trash has been collecting for hundreds of years. Formed by debris and scraps and held together by oil and muck. Sounds interesting, very much like the album it's named after.

It's been 5 years since Gorillaz released their album "Demon Days", which climbed up the charts with it's single "Feel Good Inc." You can imagine that when I heard that they were close to releasing a new album, I was very excited about it. I picked up the Experience Edition of Plastic Beach the day it came out at FYE, since they sell most of their CDs for $10 or less. I had read previously that there would be a lot of talent on this album, Bobby Womack, Lou Reed, Snoop Dog, Mos Def, etc. It seemed to me that they were pulling all the stops to make this album as good as it could be. I'll admit that it made the album seem much more exciting to me. It was all very eclectic, but then again this album is named Plastic Beach.

However, this idea of bringing so much talent in also comes at a price. Nick Butler of sputnikmusic.com brought up a good point when he wrote that the album was a "identity crisis caught on tape."

"It all comes down to the massed rank of vocalists here, ultimately. There's no doubting that the most fun thing you can do with this album is put it on, having never heard it before and never looked at the tracklisting, and wait in amazement for the moment you say 'holy crap, is that Bobby Womack?', or 'wow, Kano!, or 'seriously, Snoop Dogg is on this?'. It's the defining feature of the album, but it's also the biggest failing, because it destroys this band's own personal identity." - Nick Butler, sputnikmusic.com

Although a very valid point is made here, it doesn't change the fact that this is still a Gorillaz album. I've listened to it several times and I am more than qualified at this point to tell you that it's got some good sounds. With every piece of criticism that comes with this album, there is at least one good review to match it. In fact, most of the reviews I have come across have given this album AT LEAST a 7 or higher.

Ratings aside, I found the album very enjoyable. It's got a very pop-like beat, but the lyrics are what really give it depth. Songs like "Rhinestone Eyes", "Stylo" and "Superfast Jellyfish" are good examples of this. Then we have tracks like "Broken" that I personally have not interest for, the beat is too slow and the singing really doesn't do much for me. I have to say that the instrumental work was nothing short of classy, making tracks like "Cloud of Unknowing" even more interesting to listen to.

It's not the same as Demon Days and depending on your point of view, this could be a good or a bad thing. The only thing I wish Plastic Beach took from Demon Days was how it used it's guest talent for more instrumental purposes rather than vocals, I'd rather enjoy listening to Damon Albarn's singing voice. Personally, I don't think it was worth the 5 year wait, but it has grown on me. This will definitely be a good summer album, with it's overall beach theme they are running with. If you are a Gorillaz fan, I would recommend this for your listening pleasure and if you haven't listened to them before, it might be best to start with Demon Days or even their self-titled album from 2001.




gorillaz.com
sputnikmusic.com review