the black and white album

i just recently re-discovered The Hives' Veni Vidi Vicious and fell totally in love with it. i remember watching Conan during the winter and seeing these guys play, and i thought "they're still around?" thank god they are.

Recorded almost entirely in Oxford, MS (home of William Faulkner and Colour Revolt), The Black and White Album is a dive into a mature, clean, and well polished Hives sound. Admittedly, it is a bit hard to swallow at first. The whole straight-rock feel is prevalent throughout the album, but there are a few songs ("Puppet on a String", "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.", "Giddy Up!") that go in totally different directions from the others. But maybe the whole black & white actually stands for something.

Organs, atmospheric keys, chimes, and even a cowbell can be heard throughout the cd, which is a contrast to the bareness of just guitars, bass and drums from Vicious ( i haven't heard Tyrannosaurus Hives yet). this clean and polished tone makes me a little nervous. what's the deal here? where's the rock and roll at? i detect some ska or swing influence. and, to top it off, Howlin' Pelle sounds so Jagger-esque that it's unreal. this album, though another great Hives album, seems like an attempt at trying to make it very commercially appealing. When top-notch producers like Pharell Williams get involved (as is the case here), the focus of an album gets lost. i believe this is true here, as it could've used a little more grit and less refinement.

but, nonetheless, The Hives are still showing that they can put out some good material and, excluding a handful of songs, prove they can still kick some serious rock n' roll ass on The Black and White Album.

invisible monsters

this is the fifth book of Palahniuk's that i have read. i certainly wasn't disappointed. i read it in one day even, which is a testament to his ability to keep the story moving and interesting to the reader.

the story revolves around our narrator (who remains unnamed [mostly], typical Palahniuk style), an ex-model who has recently been shot in the face while driving her car. as a result from the accident, she is unable to speak and can only communicate by writing things. she gets involved with Brandy, a beautiful woman who helps our narrator begin a new life, with fake names, prescription drugs, plastic surgery, and a whole slew of the fashionable lifestyle.

what we find out, as the story progresses, is the history of our narrator: a brother dead from AIDS. backstabbing friends. a glamorous life now gone. a two-timing fiancee. this past and these people are really all connected in a totally strange way that only Chuck Palahniuk could conjure up.

the storyline jumps between past and present, which can get a bit arduous from time to time. especially when each flashback starts with "Jump back to...", but i guess in all reality this is the easiest way to keep the reader engaged and able to understand the difference.

there are twists that left me wanting to throw the book out of the window, but at the same time i felt compelled to dig deeper and keep the pages turning.

if you are a fan of his work, i would recommend Lullaby, as i could see a lot of similarities between the two, mainly from the research he puts into each book to describe the self-destructive habits and unorthodox things people have to do in life to get what they really want.

introduction

hi everyone. this is sort of a new gig for myself, but i love reading books and listening to new music. and instead of just reading/listening to each one and briefly mentioning them, i think they deserve more justice than that. out of respect for each author/musician, if you will. the literature is not limited to just books, as i have picked up a few zines here and there, and the music will include everything, even those done by my friends.

both of these areas have greatly affected my life, and i think it is about time i try to fully explain in writing, as i can't say the things i am thinking all of the time.