Winter Has Started

The title says it all. This weekend has been quite terrible as it's been nothing but bitter, cold and wet; especially today which has been nothing but buckets of fucking rain.

Anyways, not too much new with myself. Been watching episodes of Louis Theroux's (a British television documentary guy) "Weird Weekends" as well as some of his other docs. Great presenter he is, and the show is absolutely hilarious. Love the many sarcastic overtones and quirky English humour.

Anyhow, as of right now, I'm listening to Geddy Lee's "Present Tense" from his solo album (clip below). Fantastic song!

Weekend Video's (#28)

Some very well known names this weekend:

R.E.M - "Everybody Hurts" (1993)



U2 - "Desire" (1988)



Neil Young - "Shock & Awe" (2006)

My New Avatar

I was just thinking to myself: I should make a short post on my personal Blog. Thus what you see, is the result of both bordem and spur of the moment thinking. This post is about my new avatar on GermanCarZone - prominently on the left - and each of the picture's significance.

As of late, I've admittedly been changing my avatar a great deal more than usual. I find myself getting bored with my usual dribble of avatars and furthermore, I'm getting damn sick of choosing between a car or a girl. As a result, I thought I'd create an avatar which not only showcases both, but music and art as well. The first and foremost is my interest in automobiles; but then that's a given considering GermanCarZone is a, uhh, CarZone. Anyhow, my new avatar represents my love for two of my absolute favourite automobiles, the Pagani Zonda F and the Porsche 993 Turbo. The other two images represent my love of music, art and women; the girl being Kate Beckinsale (of course, who else?) and the Middle Eastern art being the album cover of the latest Rush album, "Snakes & Arrows" (of course). And lastly, my initials - written in Rush "Moving Pictures" album font - grace the centre of the picture. I love it; in fact, I reckon it's the best avatar I've ever had.

Anyways, before I log off, I must apologize for this gosh awful post... Lol

Best Live Recordings

Finding a band which is good in the studio ain't that a hard task, but finding a band which has the ability, desire and talent to pull of a truly great live performance is a far more daunting task.

In fact, I like to believe that a great band is one who can perform just as well, if not better than a studio album in a live concert situation. It really helps define a reputation for a band; it creates standing stone if you will.

A great live performance must bring some sort of magical ambiance to the sound of the band and their respective songs. They should slightly differ performance to performance; perhaps benefiting slightly reworked guitar solo, or a different vocal performance with the possibility of reworked lyrics. That in my humble opinion is what defines a live performance. But of course, what is also largely important in any live recording is the sound quality and thus is very important in securing all musical notes at an equal volume while retaining a degree of clarity. And last, but certainly not least, the concert they were recorded in - open, closed, length, width and etc all make the difference.

Anyhoo, now that I've given a brief explanation of the my expectations, it's time to talk about a variety of live recordings from my personal favourite bands:

U2 - "Rattle & Hum"

R&H stands out as one of the finest live recording from the Irish rock band that is U2 and features a number of excellent performances and even a few new songs unheard on previous studio albums. Good sound quality too.

Loreena McKennitt - "Nights from the Alhambra"

A recently released album, "Nights from the Alhambra", is one of the great live recordings of all time. Not only because the performance is fantastic - better than the studio albums - but because the sound quality is beyond compare. Mind you, such a music style is ultimately easier to record in terms of clarity when compared to such a band like Rush or U2 which obviously belt out loud rock.

The Fixx - "React"

Unfortunately, I think "React" is one of the weaker live albums from my many favourite musicians. The vocal performance is great as Cy Curin insists on signing various songs in a different cue and while the actual instrument performances are no less impressive, a number of the songs on this record seem to lack the intensity I expect. Song such as "Stand or Fall" are brilliantly recorded and performed, but songs such as "One Thing Leads to Another" are kind of half arsed. Nevertheless, for a hardcore Fixx fan, it's most definitely an album worth owning.

Rush - "A Show of Hands"; "All the World's A Stage"; "Rush in Rio", "R30", "Grace Under Pressure Tour"; "Exit Stage Left" and "Different Stages".

Oh boy, where should I start? Well, with six different recordings to choose from, I suppose I can start by choosing a favourite. That's easier said the done though. Honestly, the first deciding factor will be what era of Rush you most prefer; after all, these recordings cover the '70's, '80's, 90's and '00's.

But you know, one problem which a great deal of live recordings from Rush have always had is weak sound quality. As a result, many of their recordings have a phased out sound where the vocals remain percise, but the drums, guitars (bass, acoustic and electric) as well as synthesizers are faded out. It leaves the recordings - despite the excellent performance - lacking intensity; almost if you're listening to the music with a pair of ear plugs. That's not to say they all have that problem though, 1984's GUP Tour soundtrack remains as the only '80's recording to not suffer from faded out instruments. Although, whilst it has a lots of intensity and great performance, the sound quality is pretty jaded when you crank it up. You can hear the speakers blaring and crackling. It doesn't ruin the entire CD, but if it were better, you'd have perfection. But then again, you can't blame 'em for something recorded in the mid '80's (lack of technology and what-not).

ASOH, ESL, ALTWAS are yet again victims of somewhat crummy recording devices. Suffice to say, the later in time one searches for live recordings the better the quality becomes and thus is the why the best live Rush recordings are the most recent three - recorded through out '94, '97, '02, and '04.

The R30 recording is, in all definition, biblical. It's clean, crisp and great, yet it's still not my favourite. "Rush in Rio" is arguably greater still as it's louder while boasting what is perhaps an even better performance. Thing is though, the sound quality is pretty choppy in certain areas. And Additionally, Geddy's vocals suffer the same fate as in areas they are almost non existent.

With that all being said, we are left with "Different Stages". And make no mistake, DS is a fantastic recording. It is worth taking note of the world class performance and superb recording quality. It truly is amazing that such clarity (and quality) has been extracted from such a music style. It's all clear - drums, bass, guitars (both electric and acoustic). And I do think that has much do with the stadium that much of the disk was recorded in: Chicago's Amphitheatre. While the third disk, recorded in '78, is quite crummy, the other two (largely recorded in '97, but with a few songs picked from the '94 "Counterparts" tour) are just perfection. All of the songs have their own magical touch and sound to them - especially "Closer to the Heart".

Is it's the best live recording I've ever heard? Close, but not quite.

It's not the immediate winner because of this...

Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - "The Symphony Sessions"

Recorded on March 17th & 18th of 1989 in the Edmonton, Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, the SS is most probably the best live recording I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. You see, this concert wasn't recorded in a typical fashion of aiming to recreate the studio albums, but add a new degree of allure to the songs. Thus was achieved by teaming up with the "Edmonton Symphony Orchestra" to add an almost classical tone to their already great songs. And as a result, much of the synthesizers found on the original recordings were replaced with the Symphony's violins and what-not.

It really does add a magical and classical tone to their music. I reckon they sound even better here than they do on the studio albums and that my friends, is the magic of live performances. "Different Stages" is undoubtedly amazing, easily one of the best live performances I've ever heard, but the SS extracted magic I had quite simply not heard from Mr. Cochrane and his band. Songs such as "Avenue A", performed mostly unplugged, approach a new level of greatness. It doesn't just sound like an unplugged song, it sounds like a masterpiece; both the guitar notes and Cochrane's vocals bounce around the Jubilee like nothing else. And then you've got such excellent performances from "Lunatic Fringe" and "Can't Turn Back", the latter of which is un-earthly. Rather the usual 3 and half minutes, Tom and Ken (Greer) extend the song to a massive 9+ minutes and load it both bass and guitar solo's. Take my word for it, It's absolutely amazing.

Everything about this recording is perfect - performance, sound quality (recorded by $10,000 German speakers), Cochrane's vocals as well as the numerous back up vocals, etc. As to this day, it remains my favourite live recording.

A Little Bit Different

A little bit different - that in contrast with others my age, is what I am.

You know, it had occurred to me before, but in the general society of status I ain't the typical teenager/young adult that most are.

Having visited a Safeway commonly swamped by both University and High School students earlier today and having the displeasure of viewing of how my generation both looks and acts, I can safely say that I'm not the typical, partying drunkard with few responsibilities and less brain cells than a brick. Sorry If I sound, hmm, Ignorant? Perhaps Arrogant?

Call me what you will, but I couldn't care. Through my school years I had so many friends, but as I've gotten older I think I'd say that I now have a great deal less than I ever had before. The first and foremost reason would be because of my constant relocating across the provinces (and countries for that matter), but the second reason would be because of who I am.

You see, rather than partying and acting like an idiot through out my teenage years, I've spent a great deal of those years maturing, becoming smarter and, well, putting on my bravest face (thanks Neil Peart). Even when I was a few years younger than I am now, I could never take part in the stupid activities which are expected of my age group. And I suppose much of that can be attributed to my experiences in my mid teenage years where I was subjected to a life style which most are completely unfamiliar with.

In short, I matured a hell of a lot quicker than most young adults; actually, didn't have much else of a choice. And I know that It's evident in the way I act and present myself to others.

For instance, I've never really gained a whole lot of attention from the all-out hot girls, but I don't believe that's because I'm ugly per se, but rather because of the way I present myself. I don't dress or look my age; rather than sporting an all-out "emo" haircut and a 5-o-clock shadow with the addition of a pair of pre-ripped $100 jeans, square tipped shoes, and an awful lime green T-shirt with a skate-board company logo on it, I dress myself with a pair of simple blue jeans and a check t-shirt. I'm all conservative and I wear such an ensemble 99% of time. So then, it's clear that I don't dress nor act like most my age. Don't get me wrong, I do believe that I get a fair share of attention from girls, but I also believe that my presentation has a tendency to turn away an equal number of them. I'm not sporty, I'm not hip, nor all that cool. I'm about as plain as an unsalted cracker.

Additionally, my maturity means that I have a far different mentality and outlook on life than most others my age. I mean c'mon, how many others do you know - of any age actually - that think that: Ipod's are rubbish; that "new-age" music is dribble. Or how about someone who has neither a cell phone or cable television?

And in the end, it makes me somewhat of a social out-cast. It makes you all that little bit more picky; it means trying to have conversations with people who you don't deem to be intelligent all that harder, and it means finding a girlfriend is considerably tougher.

But you know what? I am glad to be a supposed "out-cast". I am proud of who I am. I never tried to be anything more than who I am - I've never tried to be someone else to impressive another.

2:14 PM

Hell yeah! I'm listening to the Barenaked Ladies as of this moment and am loving every moment of it.

I've always loved these guys because they're innovative, unique, quirky and of course, Canadian. Their music is so entertaining. and I can never get enough of their lyrics. If you want a boat-load of metaphors and a meaningful message from someone here in the Great White North you'd be best to stay with Neil Peart, but if you want lyrics that are quirky, odd and above all else, fun, then the BNL are the guys to check out.

Allow me to share some of my favourite lyrics:

From "It's All Been Done"

"Alone and bored on a thirtieth-century night
Will I see you on The Price Is Right?
Will I cry? Will I smile?
As you run down the aisle?"

From "Be My Yoko Ono"

I know that when I say this,
I may be stepping on pins and needles;
But I don't like all these people
slagging her for breaking up the Beatles.
(Don't blame it on Yokey)
if I was John and you were Yoko,
I would gladly give up musical genius,
just to have you as my very own, personal Venus.
(Hit it)

From "One Week"

Chickity China the Chinese chicken
You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin'
Watchin' X-Files with no lights on
We're dans la maison
I hope the Smoking Man's in this one
Like Harrison Ford I'm getting frantic
Like Sting I'm tantric
Like Snickers, guaranteed to satisfy

Meanwhile, I am proud to say that I've lost 2lbs over the last two weeks. I know that it doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it's pretty good considering this is a result of increased daily activity and a slight change in my daily food consumption. I've been eating a lot of pre-packaged subway sandwiches from Safeway over the last couple of weeks And not only are they reasonably priced, but they taste great.

Tonight shall be entertaining though. After a hiatus of junk food, I'm a gonna get some cookies... I'm already lusting for them.

Oh and btw, I finished watching the first season of Heroes earlier today. I don't want to say anything for those who haven't seen the finale of the first season, but whoa! Eagerly awaiting season two!

Kate The Great

No, no, no - not Kate Beckinsale (as one as might have expected considering my great affection for her) but rather the other English actress named Kate. Any takers? Why it's Kate Winslet of course.

Got the opportunity to watch "Little Children" last night - a film that was nominated for three Oscars, and in short, was very pleased with the finished product. It truly is an excellent film - I mean wow. There isn't anything to fault: top notch acting; great story; great cinematography and interesting characters. You name it, and this film has it.

And as always, Mrs. Winslet never fails to deliver an excellent performance. She's such a wonderful actress; so realistic, so intense, so believable. Whatever role she plays, you always believe she is the person she is protraying.

Not to mention, she can pull of an impeccable American accent like few other English actors and actress'. Make no mistake, Kate Beckinsale and Keira Knightley can pull of excellent American accents, while Rachel Wiesz greater still, but Winslet is on a whole another level.

Furthermore, she has yet to star in any "bad" movies; and movies such as "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "The Life of David Gale" prove my point.

You know what's also cool about Mrs. Winslet? Her public persona. She really seems like a great person - nice and caring - while retaining a great sense of humour and what-not.

Below is the perfect example of what I'm talking about above. Here she lays it all out on the line, clearly open to embarassement, but doesn't care. She's man enough (no pun intended) to make fun of herself for the sake of others. She's quite like Mrs. Beckinsale in that respect.



And of course, I have yet to mention her natural beauty. In "Little Childern" for instance, you can tell that they tried to tame her beauty down. They wanted to make her less attractive, more "normal"; almost tom-boyish. Trouble is, even there, she looked absurdly beautiful. In fact, she always looks good.

I have the utmost respect for her; for her talent and for her as a person. I love her to bits. Keep on kickin' ass, Kate!

Heroes (pt.3)

Whilst I realize that I've already titled two previous posts with a name relating to what I called this particular post, I couldn't care less. This shall be my last post entitled "Heroes" though - promise. =)

Anyhow, since I wrote my last post I've managed to watch yet another eight episodes. I just cannot get enough of this show!

You know, with the whole strange, unexpected conspiracy thing it kinda of reminds me of the X-Files, and thus is a huge positive considering the X-Files was always a favourite show of mine. And even after some thirteen episodes they have yet to tell us (the viewers) what the hell is going on. I love that it's all a big mystery; as a result the plot-line and what-not forces you to try and guess what's going to happen.

Additionally, it's amazingly addictive. Come to think of it, Heroes is almost like a soap opera, albeit an excellent one.

I know, I know, I'm so behind the times; after all, the second season is already airing here in North America.

In any event, it's also worth mentioning how great all of the characters are. My current favourite of the roster is probably Officer "Matt Parkman". Not because he has the best "power" - nah, I think Claire has that - but because he seems like a down to earth kind of guy. He's just cool.

Man, oh man, I truly am talking about the show as if it's soap opera, aren't I? Doesn't matter... if you have yet to see the show, watch the pilot episode!

Hair Cut (finally)

After a two and a half month hiatus, I finally got a hair cut earlier today. Man, I feel shamed because my hair was ultra long and thick - think Robert Redford through out the 70's; something which not coincidentally I inherited from my father. And thus means I was, well, ultra cool... not

Anyhow, since my arrival here in Vancouver (some 7 months ago) I've only had two hair cuts and that's pretty darn good if you think about it. Good cuts they are, although insanely expensive at $32 per head. Yep, that's right - welcome to Vancouver.

Weekend Video's (#27)

Rush - "Roll The Bones" (1991)



Avril Lavigne - "Nobody's Home" (2003)



Jethro Tull - "Heavy Horses" (1978)

It Arrives!

Earlier today (after two weeks of nail bitting), my Rush "Different Stages" CD arrived!

It's effin awesome. Best live Rush CD, bar none.

Heroes (pt.2)

Ok, I think I've gone a little crazy on Heroes . After I wrote my last post about watching my first episode, I immediately decided to watch four others in un-interrupted continuation.

Man, this show is off the hook. Quite simply, it's ferociously addictive. When you've got a show with such a unique and interesting premise coupled with a series of great actors it can amount to nothing but a winner. Suffice to say, I very much look forward to watching more of this fantastic series.

Speaking of which, hats off to Hayden Panettiere. Having heard much hype about her, I had naturally assumed she would be a mediocre actress trading off her pretty looks (and yes, she really is a pretty girl), but I was wrong (I'm wrong a lot as of late, aren't I?). Hayden really is a great actress.

Furthermore, I am aware that most young heterosexual males have a definite interest Hayden. Can't say I blame 'em, but honestly, my eyes are most usually concentrated on Ali Larter:

Always had a "thing" for her; and she vaguely reminds me of Kate Beckinsale. Glad to see her back on the tele.

Heroes

Woah. Just finished watching my first episode of the hit-show, "Heroes". I watched the pilot episode titled "Gensis", and only have one thing to say: what an incredible show!

I thought it was just a bunch of bloody hype, but let me tell you, on this occasion I'm more than happy being wrong. Cannot wait to watch more!

Night Life

It's no secret that "night life" amongst people my age is a big trend. Most young adults/teenagers love the night life as it offers a sense of rebellion with the opportunity to party, drink alcoholic beverages, use drugs and have sex. After all, what else could be better than all of that?

Well, perhaps I'm alone in this regard, but I absolutely hate this so called "night life". I don't like night clubs because they most usually amounts to that of a cesspool. Uggh... It makes me sick thinking about it. And as I have yet to use any drugs or even get drunk, such activities make very little sense to me.

And it's not like it lasts two hours either, oh no, instead it lasts all night long. All night meaning 10-11 PM to 3-4 AM. I've pulled hours like that a few times before and every time I do, I feel reminiscent of a corpse. And I hate that. I cannot understand how people can continue such activities for weeks in while properly maintaining their school work and above all else, feel good.

Additonally, I dislike night life because I dislike the night it's self. I don't like walking in the night, nor do I like driving in the night. Too clausterphobic with all those bright lights, not enough visibility.

P.S. - My "Different Stages" CD has yet to arrive! I can only hope that today is the day.

My deviantArt Page

I forgot to mention that I opened a "deviantART" account a while back.

Click HERE to see my page. As you'll see, it features a variety of photos that I've taken.

Canadian Television = The Best

Random Thoughts pt.2

All of my random thoughts as of this moment:

Yesterday was a slightly chilly, albeit beautiful typical fall day. The trees in the suburbs in 'Couver look spectacular. They're typical firey red and orange, but oh so much more special than Calgary. On the other hand, today is anything but nice. Right now, it's both cold and raining. Ughhh..

My annoying housemates (I really hate calling them that) - who left for their cabin last Thursday - have yet to come back, but I'm expecting them to come back any time soon. And I'm dreading that moment like few things else.

The Rush "Different Stages" 3 set CD I ordered last Monday and expected delivery of yesterday, has yet to come. The merchandise site says it'll take 2 to 3 weeks (on average), but seeing as I got my last CD in a 7 days (including a weekend) you should understand why I expected it yesterday. I know, I know - I'm being too pushy; I've got to give these things time.

**Please come today**

Meanwhile, have any one else noticed how colourful and exciting my Blog is when in contrast with others? Seriously, most others have a Blog similar to that of a real journal. Bleak, stark and honestly, un-interesting.

Different strokes for different folks I suppose, but there's no way I could stand having a Blog with no character whatsoever.

So then, what else is there to bitch about? Hmm, how about..Nah..

Oh wait, I've thought of something.

Had you not already known, I write car articles for both AutoSavant.net and my own Automotive Blog. I enjoy writing them, but surely not reading them. Most anything and everything I write anywhere - be it on a forum, AutoSavant.net, or even this Blog, I absolutely refuse to re-read. I cannot stand reading my own writing. It always seems so contrived, so embarrassing, so idiotic. I hate it and thus is the reason you'll commonly see spelling mistakes and muddy sentences through out much of my writing; I don't re-read my stuff.

Anyhoo, that's all for the moment.

Colin McRae Tribute Video

Made this earlier today..

Rainy Sunday

It would appear that the rain season - aka: "Winter" - all 6+ months of it - is now looming upon us.

It's gloomy, cold, bitter and wet outside as I write this entry. Fuck - the only thing I have to say is: "Snow for the win".

Anyway..

Got a chance two watch a few movies last night. The first being which I mentioned earlier, "The Quiet", and "Cellular". And before you ask: yes, I'm a huge movie buff so I watch a ton of them. The latter was pretty awful, but offered simplistic and basic entertainment perfect for any Saturday night.

Hmm...What else?

Oh yes, I have yet to mention I ordered a new Rush CD last Monday - "Different Stages". It's a 3 disc live set recorded in 1978, 1994 and 1997. Expecting delivery tomorrow... Can't wait.

That Darn Girl! *In Love*

Watched a film last night called "The Quiet", and was absolutely amazed at how good it actually was. Quite frankly, I had originally expected it to be some weak sauce low production film with a choppy plot, but boy oh boy I was wrong.

Great film it was! Well constructed, excellent acting, great story - you name it. But before you go and watch it, be warned, it ain't no happy-go film; in fact, it's quite depressing and disturbing.

Without going to much into it, let me get you the basic facts (copied from IMDB.com)

Dot (Camilla Belle), a young deaf and mute woman, is sent to live with her godparents (Falco and Donovan) and their daughter (Elisha Cuthbert). The new addition to the household realizes that everything is not copacetic in the home, and the family's dark come to light

Anyhow, as good as the film was (and as hot Elisha was), neither are the reason why I am writing this post. No, the reason for this post is for me to share my admiration for Mrs. Belle with you.

Oh my Lord.. She is undoubtedly one of the best looking girls in Hollywood.

I just cannot believe how beautiful she is. She has that whole "sweet-heart" look down to perfection. She truthfully looks like one of those girls you (certainly myself) long to spend you're entire life with; a girl you want to hug and never let go.

And as a bonus, she's around my age (20 years old)...

Colin McRae & Son Dead

Read my comments on my Automotive Blog

Weekend Video's (#26)

The Fixx - "Secret Seperation", live (1986)



Loreena McKennitt - "The Mummers'Dance", radio version (1995)



The Police - "Every Breath You Take" (1983)

The Guy on My Block Has A..

Holy hell. I just found out that the guy on my block owns a black Carrera GT!

If you aren't aware of what a "Carrera GT" is, let me fill you in: It's a limited edition (just 1275 vehicles world wide) Porsche hypercar that has a 605bhp 5.7 litre 10-Cylinder engine and can top 205 mph.


I've already discovered two F430's on my block - both red, one of which belongs to Brian Jessel - but I never imagined someone so close to me would own such an automobile. Anyhoo, the guy with the GT, also has a silver 550 Maranello (which I had seen countless times before), but today I got real lucky.

The Basalt Black GT (newly delivered) was out on the street and I got to watch the owner (and the delivery guy) park the car in his garage. It took them some 25 minutes to park the vehicle in his garage considering the entrance slops down hill. They had wooden planks, etc to get it into the garage (lucky for me).

Unfortunately, no pictures.. As I've explained before, I broke my camera a little over a month ago; had I not, I would have had pictures to share! In any event, I'm more than sure I'll get a chance to see the vehicle again. I need a new camera ASAP!

Such a beautiful car.

Random Thoughts

It's only 7:21 AM at this moment, but I already feel like I'm jacked up on Caffeine. And no, I haven't had any sugary pop of any sort.

I'm just exicted about my daily walk later today. I have yet to mention it, but I've increased my daily activity like woah. Yesterday for instance, I walked 6 miles; not all at once, but over the course of the day.

Two weeks ago I was walking a mile a day, but over the last two weeks I've increased it to 2 miles per day. And now, I hope to bring it to 3, perhaps 4 miles per day. And do take note that I don't walk, but "speed walk".

I feel so hyped up! And as result, I'm feeling a helluva lot more hungry than usual.. Last night was insane, I swear I could have eaten a bag of Oreo's..

But you know what's really kick ass? As per usual, my annoying housemates have gone away on the weekend. Most usually they leave on Friday afternoon and come back Sunday night, but for whatever reason, they left last night instead. Thus I'm listening to Rush's "Lock & Key" at an absurd volume...I haven't got the chance to listen to the album ("Hold Your Fire") at such a volume. The production is superb.

Short Movie Reviews

"This Is England" - 2006

An excellent film with excellent acting, but terribly depressing - 10/10

"Mr. Brooks" - 2007

Undoubtedly the best film Mr. Costner has stared in - 8/10

Vapor Trails vs Snakes & Arrows

Having just listened to Rush's "Vapor Trails" - the first album after Peart's family tragedies - and felt compelled to make a post about the album it's self, and how it compares to their latest album, "Snakes & Arrow".

The first thing I must get off my chest is that "Vapor Trails" is a very difficult and tiring album to listen to for extended periods of time. Not because it's bad, but rather because it's mixing and sound quality are so bloody awful that even after two songs, I feel rather light headed and a tad dizzy too.

Suffice to say, VT's biggest problem has always been it's mixing and sound quality. It's all too distorted, all too messy and all too annoying if I may be honest. Nevertheless, the actual songs themselves are pretty rocking and notably different from S&A.

There are those who would disagree with me, but I think VT is very much a proper evolution of 1997's "Test for Echo"; in the same way in which "Test for Echo" pays homage to 1993's "Counterparts". Mind you, those were not my first impressions of this album. When I first heard VT, I thought it was absolutely awful and above all else, quite uninteresting. Thankfully, as time has passed, the album has very much grown on me and my appreciation for it is now quite strong.

As an album, It's quite hard rocking, bold and in-your face. "Snakes & Arrows" in comparison sounds softer, more polished, but ultimately more intelligent and more interesting. Whilst there are a number of great songs on VT, I feel that the majority of them are quite one-note pony - actually, come to think of it, the album as a whole doesn't have a great deal of variety. This in my humble opinion, is where S&A is a much better album as it offers an enticing and exciting mix of bass lines, electric and acoustic guitars and complex drum riffs. Not to mention, those little things: Mandolin, Violin, Synthesizers, a Moog, etc.

The song themselves prove S&A's variety too - you've got a 3 or 4 hard rockers, a few "acid-rock" songs, and a few quirky jams.

On the other hand, one cannot fault this albums interesting technique of drums and implementation of bass guitar. The perfect example for the latter being "Ceiling Unlimited", which is just absurdly awesome. Despite the awful sound distortion, Geddy's bass comes off as bold and inspiring - not to mention, Geddy uses his signature "flameco" style at it's absolute finest. It sounds frantic and mean.

Actually, much of the bass work in this album is daring and bold. Dare I say even better than S&A? Hmm..Maybe so.. But to say that would be kind of stupid considering it'd be like comparing apples to oranges.

Nevertheless, I feel that S&A manages to capture most everything in Rush history into one ultra-cool package. It is my humble opinion one of their finest albums.

Additionally, one thing that I feel VT ultimately suffers from is the lack of guitar solos. With S&A you get one in nearly every song, where as VT only offers three or four and the ones that exist, seem to lack the classic Lifeson feeling.

Mixing:

In terms of sound quality production and mixing, one cannot do better than S&A. While VT, on the contrary, couldn't be any worse. Honestly, it's a very messy album.

Furthermore, many of the guitars have undergone layering to manipulate their original sound and the end result is a swack of songs which sound majorly over-produced. Same goes for the vocal layering, it's more than a tad overdone. I don't mind some, but frankly, they went way overboard.

Lyrics:

The lyrics of VT are quite interesting, but ultimately, less "fun" than S&A. Don't get me wrong, I think they are most excellent, but I prefer S&A's for a multitude of reasons. They aren't as many metaphors and hidden messages, but they seem to work better from a song stand point.

Singles:

"Far Cry" vs "One Little Victory"

My choice from the two? Most definitely Far Cry. It is my opinion, more dynamic, more entertaining and well, just cooler. But, one cannot deny the OLV starting cue which is just dynamite - starts off with pounding drums and leads into hard edged Alex-style guitar and then leads into ultra-awesomeness. FC is not really any less impressive though - particularly the beginning which starts off with classic Rush F-Cord (purposely borrowed from "Hemispheres") and leads into pounding drums perfectly timed with Alex's guitar swacks, but as far as I'm concerned, the real magic with FC begins a little after the introduction. Specifically the point in which Alex does criss-cross notes - something similar to "Dreamline" - but of course, in a fashion which sounds Middle Eastern. If you haven't heard either song, it's quite hard to describe, but here are a few audio clips:

Studio version of "One Little Victory"

Studio version of "Far Cry"

"Secret Touch" vs "Spindrift"

Two truly spectacular songs, but choosing my favourite from the two isn't hard by any means - "Spindrift" any day. That's not to say ST isn't great though, oh no, in fact it's probably my favourite track from VT. Thing is though, SD is just too great to ignore. It invokes feelings of Moving Pictures' "Witch Hunt" and that my friends, is a big positive. It's a finely crafted song with intelligent lyrics and instrumentally mastery. Most of the song sounds demonic, while the chorus lightens up and the result is that SD sounds like two different songs combined together. Most of the folks I talk to really dislike that element of the song, but I personally, think it's absolutely wonderful. It's fitting to the song meaning too - as the song is based upon that of a relationship, the parts where the guitar is demonic is the couple fighting where as the chorus indicates a friendlier and more peaceful time. Lyrics such as these: "what am I supposed to say, where are the words to answer you" make such evident.

Honestly, there isn't anything remarkable about ST, but it is indeed great.

"Sweet Miracle" vs "Larger Bowl"

And TLB it is... Honestly, I never really liked SM. Musically, I feel it to be an oddity It's got a strong lyrical message though; that which is the miracle of life. TLB on the other hand, is a tad degree simpler than SM offering the message of how the world is seen through the eyes of the poor and the rich. Actually, it's more or less giving the exact same message which Test For Echo's "Half the World" gave back in 1997. No doubt, TLB is more light hearted than SM; it's melodies and music make such evident, but what really puts the icing on the cake is Lifeson's guitar solo in the middle of the TLB; it's absolutely wonderful

Songs:

So there you have a small comparison of the three singles which were released for these albums. Both of these albums have a total of 13 songs, but aside from that, they're very different. S&A is full of goodies from the raw "Armor & Sword", to the quirky "Malignant Narcissism", to the progressive "We Hold On". Of the 13 some songs on VT, there isn't one that I prefer over any of the 13 on S&A. I don't want to give you the impression that VT has no quality songs, because that is simply untrue. With VT you get such stand out tracks as "Peaceable Kingdom" - offering a similar message to "Armor & Sword", but in a fashion overly less impressive - to the pounding "Nocturne" to the 4th part of "The Fear series", "Freeze". And while were on the subject, perhaps it's time to mention how great the 4th installment of The Fear Series is. Sure, it doesn't really give you the same overall feeling as previous greats in the series: "The Weapon"; "Witch Hunt" and "The Enemy Within", but dynamically it's quite impressive. Admittedly, as the song's guitars have undergone much layering it is more or less unplayable in a live situation, but it's so rocking that one has to ignore such. Superb song. "Earthshine", "Vapor Trails" and "The Stars Look Down" are also favourites of mine, but in the end, S&A is just better.

Verdict:

So there you have it - my brief (lol) comparison of the two albums. Weaknesses and all, I am glad Vapor Trails is was it is. Like all Rush albums, it helped the band evolve and you can sure that without VT, there would be no S&A.

And Another..

Thought I'd share yet another online gift I received from a friend. Ain't it cool?


Thanks Julius!

A Great Present

One of the few presents that I recieved for my Birthday yesterday, were these photos from an online friend. They're so great that I thought I'd share them on my Blog.




Once again, thanks Brian.

Feeling Better

Had you read my previous post, you might have gathered the impression that I was pretty bummed out. That's true, but I'm feeling much better now.

And as per usual, I have music to thank as it never fails to lighten me up. I'm currently listening to Rush's 1989 album "Presto". It's a masterpiece if I've heard one; just finished rocking out to "Available Light" and am now onto "The Pass".

Today's My Birthday! Oh Great..

Not only is it nice and sunny out, but it's my Birthday today! So why then, I am so unhappy?

Because as my Birthday draws near an end on this Sunday afternoon, I realize that it has started and ended just like any before it. I did nothing; saw nothing; saw nobody ('cept for my father). Quite frankly, it was just yet another awful day with absolutely no meaning to me.

The first of the many reasons why I think my Birthday today has been such rubbish is because no one really remembered. Sad, but true. None of my family, save for my father, even remembered it was today. And almost all of my online "friends" forgot too..

In any event, the real reason why my Birthday means so little to me is because so many of my past ones have been terrible. I've had so many awful and meaningless Birthday's where survival was the main priority, that my Birthday was mostly ignored. And after a while, the whole concept of a Birthday and the happiness and enthusiasm which it's supposed to bring was washed away. Point is, after so many years of missing a "proper" Birthday, it became a pointless day. And I'm afraid to say that I feel exactly the same about every other holiday, Christmas included.

I truly hope that few feel as I do. It's quite terrible to view what are supposed to be days of happiness and fun times, in such negativity. I swear that should I have ever have Children that they will have the best Birthdays, etc imaginable.

Saturday Boredom

Hmmm...

I'm reporting here (wtf, is this a news station?) from my home on this warm and sunny Saturday afternoon.

In lieu of my birthday this tomorrow, I am planning to just chill-out this weekend. Not doing anything cool I am afraid, more rest and relaxation if anything.

Just came back from my daily 45 minute walk. Feeling ok...

Went to Best Buy earlier today to pickup a few CD's - those ended up being Tom Cochrane "Victory Day" and Tears For Fears "Songs from the Big Chair". Excellent albums the pair (to say the least).

Other than that, I went ate at a Vietnamese (or was it Chinese...) restaurant where I encountered a stunningly beautiful part-Pakistani (or at least I assume) girl. Better yet, she was showing interest in me long before I even noticed her.

She arrived a little after I came into the restaurant and ordered.

Once my plate arrived, I started to eat and noticed that she was staring at me from across the room and trust me, it was not because I was in her focal point. Why do I say that? Because when I looked over at her, she quickly looked away with a slight shade of embarrassment attempting to make it look like she was not looking over at me. You know, that silly cat and mouse game us Humans oh so like to play.

What a spectacular looking chick too.. Absolutely beautiful and in a classic sense. She wasn't overly trendy, just nicely dressed. To be honest, I can hardly believe a girl that good looking was looking at me... Of course, I could be entirely wrong (about her looking at me because she thought I was attractive), but I somehow don't think so.

OMFG..eh?

Weekend Video's (#25)

English Beat - "Too Nice To Talk To" (1980)



Big Country - "Look Away" (1986)



Pinky Floyd - "Comfortably Numb" (1979)

I Hate Them

I believe I have made brief mention of it before, but I absolutely hate my neighbours. Worse yet, there aren't so much my neighbours as they are my house mates. In a typical Vancouver fashion, I live in a house with three separate suites. I'm in the sub-basement suite, while my annoying neighbours live in the the suite above me; thankfully, as of right now, the top suite is unoccupied.

Problem is, when the padding between our two floors is so thin, we can pretty hear most everything each other of us do. When they're supposedly walking up stairs, it sounds like fucking thunder.

Now, I would like to imagine that I'm a quieter of occupants in this house. Admittedly, I play music, but not at a volume which is to effect anyone. I like to listen to music at a human level - you know, not that stupid asshole teenager level.

Anyway, the problem with them is that they're inconsiderate and obnoxious. For starters, they like to leave their laundry in the dryer/washer hours after their stuff is done. Suffice to say, it's very annoying to have to wait for someone to take their stuff out. Furthermore, they are obnoxiously loud. And trust me, they never shut the fuck up. Blah, blah, blah. And as the hours pass, their volume of wine increases and and evidently, they become even more obnoxious.

Anyhoo, I just watched a film called "Enduring Love". Yet another excellent film - my favourite film list has been drastically modified in the last three days. A truly wonderful, but depressing film. Bravo to Daniel Craig who is an amazing actor. You think he was good in Casion Royale? Watch this.

Best Song Ever?

By this time, there shouldn't any surprise that I'm a mega Rush fan. I live, eat and breath all things Rush related. You could even say that I am a Rush fanboy per se; loving most everything this band has done. Yet despite all of that, I would never be as biased to label any song which Rush has composed as the best song ever. Don't get me wrong though, their song "Natural Science" is easily among the best songs ever made ;-) :-)

So then, which song do I think deserves the title of "best song ever"? Well, let me give you a few clues: It was written in 1972 by an rock English band; the entire song is 43 minutes in length and features every instrument from flutes, to synthesizers, moogs, manic drums, electric guitars and Martin acoustic guitars. It's a song which is represents oppression and goverment control and is full of political innuendos.

Any takers?

Clue #2: It sounds Celtic, Irish and even Medieval, but features the classic and brash rock sound of the 1970.

And the winner is... "Thick As A Brick" by no one other than Jethro Tull. As far as I'm concerned, this is musical genius as it's finest. This is as good as it gets. It's unparalled.

Have a listen for yourself, but do take note that this is shortened version (just 10 minutes).

"Interview" - Film

As I am honestly not in the mood to write a proper review for this film, I'll leave it at: watch it, because it's absolutely excellent!

Never seen a film like it... And oh my, what amazing acting performances by the two. Sienna Miller is so much more than a pretty face, she truly is a superb actress and Buscemi, well, his skills are just obvious aren't they? Buscemi's acting work looks even more impressive when you find out that he was the one who also directed and wrote the movie's screen play. Bravo Mr. Buscemi!

But be warned, If you want action, this is not the movie to watch. As it's a Sundance Film Festival film, it requires actual concentration and intelligence to enjoy it.

Once again, an excellent film and an instant favourite. 10/10.

The Fall, Vancouver, My Birthday, etc

Gosh darnit. As we head into September here in Vancouver, it's evident that Fall is upon us. The weather has drastically changed from much of August which was warm and sunny, to what is best described as a bitter cold and bone aching, yet sunny day. It's still pretty damn decent though.

And of course, the trees which have already turned orange and red, look pretty damn awesome. Yet despite that, I miss Calgary's Fall's. Admittedly, it's even colder, but it's somehow more magical. More enjoyable as you know the next step to the weather pattern is white snow, rather than gray skies with a bunch of awful and continuous rain. Come to think of it, Vancouver as a whole, has already worn me out.

It's quite a tiring city. Nice landscapes and what-not, but it's overly busy, loud and annoying. This false "we are laid back" attitude, is such bullshit. Furthermore, the city's garbage men have been on strike for a total of 6 weeks! And frankly, I'm sick of our garbage pilling up in the backyard. Should you be familiar with British Columbia, such a strike probably won't be a surprise as that's why it's citizens do best. They strike and they strike until they get the money they think the deserve, but of course, do not really deserve. I fucking hate unions and make no mistake, British Columbia is the union capital of Canada.

Not to mention, there is no parking anywhere. Those asshole developers have bought up most every piece of free land for overpriced condo's and apartments. If you planning on going somewhere it's best to plan out where you'll be parking and in 'Couver, that could mean parking three blocks away from you're intended destination. And if it's raining, considering you're day ruined.

Anymore complaints? Yeah, a bloody boat load, but I'll save them for a later time.

*** In other news ***

My Birthday is this Sunday. Anyone want to schedule a meeting (even if extremely brief in nature) with either Kate Beckinsale and/or Sophia Bush for me? I would cherish the chance to meet either of these women whom I very much admire and have the utmost respect for.

There I go dreaming again..

"The Good Night" - Film

Spectacular and Un-fucking-believably awesome

Those are the words that come to my mind when describing my thoughts about this movie. Recently had a chance to watch this film, originally created for the Sundance Film Festival, and come away as a new person. Perhaps that a bit melodramatic, but honestly, this is one of those films that reflected not only my life, but also many of my thoughts about life. And that happens, well, hardly ever. The last film to make such an impact on me was "The Constant Gardener".

"The Good Night" is just a spectacular film; a real piece of artwork; a masterpiece if you will.

Writing a decent review for such a film is especially hard as I feel compelled to give the whole story away and tell you what each and every scene meant to me.

Nevertheless, below is my attempt at giving you at balanced (and un-revealing) review.

The story starts off with Gary (played by the fabulous Martin Freeman) who was once a member of an English rock-band - which broke up long ago - and is currently directing music for television adverts with his best friend (and band mate), Paul (played by "Shawn of the Dead's" Simon Pegg). Experiencing what he believes to be a mid-life crisis, a lifeless and dead-end job and a personal relationship - with Dora (played by Gweneth Paltrow) - slowly crumbling apart, Gary looks towards to his dreams as the perfect escape. In his spectacular dreams, he's one who has everything - happiness, health and a girlfriend (played by Penelope Cruz) who cares as much about him as he does about her. Wanting to further experience his dreams and detachment from reality, Gary soon goes to see Mel (played by Danny Devito) to learn how to control his dreams.

Frankly, I cannot tell you anymore with the fear of ruining the story. One thing that I can tell you is that it's no fairy tale, particularly the ending. It's not happy, quite shocking and ironic. There is one particular scene which is just amazing and that's the one where Devito's character states the man who can find --BLANK-- sleep will forever be the happiest man in the world. It's a quote which by the time the movie ends, is spine-chilling and ultimately, upsetting.

Also worth mentioning is that aside from the well crafted, well directed and well-written story thanks to Jake Paltrow (Gweneth's brother) - the acting in this movie is on another level. Firstly, this is the first movie where I actually liked Danny Devito and that's saying something considering the guy usually bothers me like a wasp, but in this movie they could not have chosen anyone better. Mrs. Paltrow continues to show her versatility and talent at playing any part she's hired for; Simon Pegg continues to portray his cynical and hot-shot attitude he's most famous for and Penelope Cruz plays her part as one would expect (fabulously).

The acting performance from all of these actors is just fantastic, but you know what? None of them can touch Martin Freeman, he's an absolute master and surely one of the best actors anywhere. I first saw Martin Freeman as "Tim" in the original version of "The Office" and thought he was just spectacular, and then I saw him in "Breaking and Entering" and thought he was even more impressive. And now, after watching his spectacular (I've used that world a whole lot, haven't I?) performance in this movie, I'm even more convinced he's one of the best actors to ever grace the silver screen. Come to think of it, I'd say that he's currently my favourite actor.

His acting abilities are uncanny; his presence undeniable. He's born natural.

To this end, should you enjoy off beat films, you oughta see this one!

Verdict: Excellent off-beat film, with superb acting and an important message
10/10

The Day

As of late, many of my childhood experiences and memories (which have laid dormant for years) have been surfacing. I suppose having recently stabilized my life (for the moment at least), I can comfortably take a look at what has happened over the years.

The earliest memory of my childhood which has stayed with me through out the years is when my grandpa died. The reason as to why it has stayed with me through out the years is because I, just 8 (hm..) years old at the time, was the one who found him dead.

The day started like any other nice summer one, but ended in a fashion which I would never forget. On this particular starry night, me and my mother had gone to their house (grandpa and grandma's) for a casual visit and get-together.

Strangely enough, this particular night was one of the very few in which were not joined by my dad as he was away on business related trip in Northern Alberta.

As we got ready to leave their house, my grandma had been sitting in bed waiting for my grandpa to come upstairs. As we got prepared to leave we called his name a couple of times in hoping that he would come up and say goodbye, but he never did. As he had hearing troubles (from his enrolment in World War 2) and was in his power-saw workshop in the basement of all places, we had just assumed he couldn't hear us. So naturally, I told my mother and grandma that I'd go downstairs and get him.

As I got further down the stairs I continued to call his name, but there was no response. As I peaked into his workshop, I saw him laying face down on the floor with a pool of blood surrounding his head; I distinctly remember the red blood contrasting off the bleak 1950's blue coloured floor.

I yelled upstairs - "grandpa's not moving". My mother immediately ran down stairs and had realized we needed an ambulance. As my mother continued to panic, my grandma restricted to bed (as she need her respirator when walking around) sat in disbelief as we frantically charged around. She looked onwards with a straight look on her face and at that moment, I knew that she knew - I knew that she knew that he had passed on.

In a desperate act of panic, my mother ran to the neighbours (which had been good friends of my grandparents), and called 911. It turns out he died with from a stroke and likely died before his head hit the floor.

It's a night that I'll never forget. An image forever bleached into my mind. And after it happened, I refused to go into the basement alone. It scared me like nothing else.

Deserted Island Collection

Here's the situation:

You're being shipped to a deserted island paradise with nothing but a suitcase full of clothing, a boom box of some sort and 10 CD's of you're choice. Which 10 CD's do you bring along?

Hmm..

Rush - "Snakes & Arrows" (2007)
Jethro Tull - "Thick As a Brick" (1972)
Rush - "Signals" (1982)
Big Country - "The Collection" (2002)
Peter Gabriel - "Hit Compilation" (2003)

Tom Cochrane - "Mad Mad World" (1991)
Loreena McKennit - "The Book of Secrets" (1995)
Rush - "Moving Pictures" (1981)
U2 - "Unforgettable Fire" (1984)
The Fixx - "Greatest Hits: One Thing Leads to Another" (?)

No English Beat, no Dire Straits..fuck..

Weekend Video's (#24)

Peter Gabriel - "Big Time" (1986)



Billy Idol - "Shock to the System" (1993)



Thompson Twins - "Sister of Mercy" (1984)