Buffalo Gals, Won't You Come Out Tonight?

     What's up everyone?
     Well, not too much new going on today. I'm just continuing to use this week to get back into the school mode and catch up with a bunch of work : /  I guess it has to be done!
     I did act in my roommate's film today for the later part of the afternoon, which was pretty fun! I love acting in movies and hopefully I can do more of it. Not that I don't love musical theatre (after all, it IS my major) but there's something I really love about movies also. I would also love to make some movies in my lifetime as well. I am working on a script too (when I have time) so we will see where that goes! Anyway, so my day consisted pretty much of movie shooting, my Natural Disasters class (which I HIGHLY recommend), homework, and relaxing for another long day tomorrow!

    Anyway, my lounging around consisted of me listening to an album (yes, at this point, you should realize that it is a hobby of mine, music listening). That album is We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions by Bruce Springsteen, released in 2006. It was actually recorded in only three sessions, one in 1997 when he recorded his rendition of the song "We Shall Overcome" for a tribute album for Pete Seeger. Then, he explored more of Pete Seeger's music, and it influenced him to make the album, using a second recording session in 2005 and one more in 2006. So, the album was basically recorded in three days. It is also a "live" album. What do I mean by that? Well, it was not really rehearsed at all, and just played mostly right on the spot. You can hear Springsteen shouting stuff to the band (known as The Sessions Band, as the E Street Band also sits out for this album) and it is very gritty and raw, and it's like you're listening to a folk band live in your own living room. It's actually really cool because you get to hear the music being MADE right there on the spot, no real editing, just good old live raw music.


Pete Seeger

      The album does not actually have any original material from Bruce, being his first and, so far, only record without any original material. The record is composed of Bruce and the Sessions Band rendition/covers of songs by or made famous by activist/musician Pete Seeger. Seeger, of course, is famous for his folk music and was very important in the American folk music revival in the 50's. Bruce was intrigued by this kind of music and didn't know too much about Seeger, as he was really brought up on rock and roll. But later, after he recorded "We Shall Overcome", he investigated it more, buying a bunch of Seeger's records and was intrigued by them. Then, he was introduced to a bunch of musicians local to the New Jersey and New York area. Through that, he formed The Sessions Band and recorded the album.
    It's a very interesting album, as it is "updated folk" and Springsteen and the band bring the old songs into a new light, renewing them and making them his own, but at the same time keeping a very solid folk sound. All the instruments he used for the album, in his words, were ones that "you can't plug in", keeping that old time folk sound. Some of these songs, go back a long way, for example the last track on the album, "Froggie Went A-Courtin", dates back as far as the 1548 in Scotland! But Bruce and the band bring 'em back to life, and it makes you want to just get up and dance, and it is one hell of a hoot-e-nanny! This album will do that to you, you just want to get up and dance, like you're outside on a field or in a barn or just in a dance hall, dancing the night away!
    Bruce mentioned (also going along with using instruments that are not electric) that these instruments used to play these songs were meant to travel, and that it was meant for live performance, one of his reasons he recorded it in only three sessions. He also believed that the real beauty of this kind of music was that it wasn't edited and it was gritty and raw, and that's a feeling he wanted to bring back. He succeeded!


Bruce and the Sessions Band

     This is also a dual disc, so there is another side to it besides the album, which includes a thirty minute documentary of the recording process of the album with performances of select songs from the three sessions, and two bonus songs, "Buffalo Gals" and "How Can I Keep From Singing?", two amazing songs!
    There is also one more song that is on the re-released deluxe edition, called The American Land Edition, which I really like. I have not listened to the whole expanded edition, but I have heard the song "American Land" on it and it is also an AMAZING song, and it's a shame it's not on the regular edition (I bought the song from Itunes anyway!). Bruce closed all the concerts I saw with this song (well, not including the encore) and it is AMAZING to see it live for yourself, as he shoots fireworks and they really rock the stadium with this song as they end their set! It's quite a thing to see!
    So yeah, my favorite songs are...well...I honestly can't choose for this album because I really like them all! So I'll just give you the tracklist:
     1. "Old Dan Tucker"
     2. "Jesse James"
     3. "Mrs. McGrath"
     4. "O Mary Don't You Weep"
     5. "John Henry"
     6. "Erie Canal"
     7. "Jacob's Ladder"
     8. "My Oklahoma Home"
     9. "Eyes On The Prize"
     10. "Shenandoah"
     11. "Pay Me My Money Down"
     12. "We Shall Overcome"
     13. "Froggie Went A-Courtin'"

Also, don't forget to check out "Buffalo Girls" and "American Land"

     By the time this album came out, I had already became pretty aware of Bruce Springsteen, though I really didn't start listening to him that much until the next album. But I remember my dad being really excited about it being released and he played "Buffalo Gals" quite a bit in the car, which honestly is a favorite of mine too. He bought the album and we listened to it a bunch of times while we traveled or just used the car or whatever, and I really loved it! Bruce is such a talented guy and he does a great job with this record, so check it out!
    Well, I need to get to sleep. Dance class tomorrow morning!
     Goodnight!

  -The AR


American Land:


Pete Seeger singing "Buffalo Gals"

Devils and Dust

   What's up everyone?
   Well, I'm back at school...err. Back to the grind of homework and such. Oh well, it was going to happen anyway. Today was just class, work, hung out with a few friends throughout the day and yup, that's pretty much it.
   Among the midst of all getting back into school, my music theory teacher said my little one line paino piece was really good! I don't know, that was cool to me. It sounded pretty cool on the paino!
   Anyway, yeah that was the highlight of my day I guess. Besides being a goofball in Spanish class haha. Oh, and I took pictures for one of my roommates movies I am going to be in. We shoot tomorrow so that should be fun!

   I also got to listen to an album today, and that would be Devils and Dust by Bruce Springsteen, released in 2005. Yet again, another style change, back to folk/acoustic driven music! Also, this album does not feature the E-Street Band. Still, it happens to be a really good album! It is not as solo acoustic as Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad, having a few more instruments and not being as crowded, even though a few songs are pretty acoustic. But I would consider this a bit more acoustic rock like. He goes back to his big storytelling in this album, more about people's stuggle yet this one is less dark than the other two acoustic folk albums. It has a Western feel to it, which I really like. It also does deal with many different themes, such as a soldier's story, and deals a bit more with relationships between mothers and their children. This is a bit different from Springsteen, as he always seems to talk more about his relationship with his father. There was also a lot of shock from listeners from the song "Reno" which talks, in graphic detail, of a man rendering services from a prostitute. He then told listeners that the actual story was about a man who can't get over the loss of his wife, so much that even a prostitute couldn't make things any better, as you can tell from the last lines of the song and the dark mood of it all. It's a really cleaver but blunt song to me, I enjoy it. Anyway, this is definitely a good album to check out! My favorite songs: "Devils and Dust", "All The Way Home", "Reno", "Long Time Comin'", "Maria's Bed", "Silver Palomino", "Leah" and "All I'm Thinkin' About". I'll leave one of them down below as a video! So check it out! And one day, I want to be able to drive through the west listening to this album. Just a small little dream of mine, it seems peaceful!
    Oh yeah, and the CD I have (which I think they all are of this album) of Devils and Dust is a dual disc, so it has a back side to it. On this album, it contains a inside look into Springsteens writing and into some of the process of the album and his inspiration for it. It also has acoustic performances of five songs from the album. It's short but sweet. I like a bunch of things he says about writing songs. The two things that really stuck me are when he said he thinks the most interesting people (at least to write about) are people that have struggles inside of them. Something that eats them up, people with "devils and dust". I thought about this and I can agree with it very much. I also like how he said that if you don't write a song from the very center of your heart, it will eventually fall. His songs are very personal, and that's what attracts me to him as an artist. I can relate to him and what he sings about and when he sings about living in New Jersey, I get it. It's really quite something and he speaks to me. So yeah, check out this album!
    Well, that's all I got for tonight. Gonna go to sleep so I can get up somewhat early and take care of a few things before class. Hope everyone is well, and I'll be talkin' to you all later!

- The AR


Devils and Dust:

9/11 Memories

    What's up everyone?
    Well, yesterday I talked about the Bruce Springsteen album The Rising and how it was Springsteen's response to 9/11. This album brought hope to a country that needed it.
    Well, I have my own little story to tell about 9/11:
     I grew up about ten miles from NYC across the river in New Jersey, and you could see the city from many parts of my hometown.
    September 11th, 2001: I remember being in 6th grade at that time. It was second period and I had my math class. I remember going to my locker and getting my stuff and then going to the classroom and sitting down with my fellow classmates. One of my classmates informed me that something was going on. I wondered what and when the teacher got into the room, we asked her but she said "Don't worry about it", though she seemed a bit distraught. It was weird. So we went on with the class as usual, though everyone seemed distracted.
    After the class, I proceeded to go to the next class I had, which I believe was gym and on the way to the gym I passed the office and a bunch of people were peering into the tv. Something wasn't right here, I could tell. Something was going on.
     The day went on as usual, and during my last class, the teachers told us to go straight home. It was a very unusual thing for our teachers to say. So I walked to the bus, passing a lot of parents who came to pick their children up early from school. So I got on the bus and went home. When I got there, my dad was home! Now this wasn't right, because my dad was never home when I got home from school, as he didn't get out from work until later. Usually it was only my grandma. They greeted me at the door and I remember being excited my dad was home but at the same time wondered why he was home, so I asked him. I'm a child so of course I'm curious. We went to the living room, flipped on the tv, and were greeted with the news that the World Trade Center had been attacked by passenger jets and the buildings have collapsed and that also the Pentagon in Washington DC was attacked and another plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

     My eyes were glued to the tv for the rest of the day.
     Not too long ago I had been on top of those towers, looking out at the city below. They were amazing memories with my parents and I. We always passed the World Trade Center when we were in NYC, they always dazzled me. Let me tell you, those buildings were some of the coolest buildings I have ever seen.
     When I went to visit dad at his office, I would always see them. My dad worked in Jersey City in a building on the river, right across from where you could see the World Trade Center. It was really beautiful.
    I had all these memories of the place and, at that time, I was just confused about how all this could happen. As I grew up, I matured and, though still confused by it, I understood everything around that day, at least as best I could.
     My dad told me his boss saw the second plane hit. Everyone in his building left, because, I believe, NYC needed to clear the surrounding area to use for bases, bodies, equipment, and for people to go as Lower Manhattan was evacuated. Everything was a mess
    NYC shut down, and I had never seen more national chaos so close to home before. I was both curious and a bit frightened. I was young.
    I remember on the anniversary of it a year later, they had those huge two lights shine in the sky, and it was a sight to see. It was a memorial to the World Trade Center, and you could see it from my hometown.
    It's still slightly eerie to go to the lookout in my town and see the NYC skyline withouth the towers. I grew up around them, it's so crazy to know they are gone and to know I was up there once on top of the towers.
    There is a memorial at the lookout in my town for the 9/11 victims. It's a really nice memorial. I go there every time I visit, for that and the view.
    I remember, later, Dad mentioning he used to work in the World Trade Center before I was born, but left. I still sometimes tell myself how lucky I am that he wasn't working there when all this happened. I am lucky.
   It sucks that this happened, and it sucks that it did. I have visited ground zero a bunch of times, and it always does something to you, and makes you realize that you should never forget what happened. Looking back on it all, it's still so hard to believe it happened. I had never seen so many people hurt around me.
   Listening to The Rising now, it brings back memories of it all and it also makes me realize how important this album was in history and how it tells a story that I lived through, that I witnessed. It all still brings some tears. I've been tearing up a little writing this, no lie.
   I don't think I can ever forget what happened to me, this country, and the world around me that day, and I look back and I realize how far we have come since. Sure, the country has it's problems, but we have come a long way. And I still try to search for the beauty. Springsteen definitely had the right idea with this album, as it is hopeful and tragic at the same time, this album paints the country and it's people's response to the attacks very beautifully and caring. For me, this album is part of my history.
   Thanks for taking the time to read this and letting me share my memory, and I would be interested in hearing any stories you have of that day. I could go on and on and on, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.
   Anyway, that's all I have for tonight, time to sleep and get back to classes tomorrow. I bid everyone a good night.
   And remember...never forget.

-The AR

~this post is dedicated to the victims and rescuers who died in the 9/11 attacks. RIP and may you find a peaceful light~

Come On, Rise Up!/Spring Break '11: Complete

Mt Baldy, photo taken by me!

    What's up, everyone? Well, another week has begun and spring break '11 has officially ended! What a spring break it has been! I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break if you so happen to also have been off on your own Spring Break adventures. My dad left earlier today, and it was a really good visit with him. We ended up going to the Indiana Sand Dunes yesterday, which was in this book I had recently bought called 501 Must Visit Wild Places. Well, now only 500 to go! It was really cool though. The dunes are on Lake Michigan and when you look out on the lake from the beach, you can see Chicago far off in the distance. It's really beautiful and definitely would love to go back again! I learned a cheap train goes right to the national lakeshore, so it won't be too hard to go back! Anyway, we drove out there and first went to an area of the park called Lake View, which is this stunning beach/dunes. It was a really beautiful lookout and the dunes covered quite a bit, even getting on the roads in some areas. Some sand covered benches too. It was pretty sick! There were also some big ass birds in the air stationary in the wind, looking around. It was a pretty cool sight to see, and also bird watching is very popular there. There are over 350 species of birds there, so you're bound to see a bunch of interesting birds, even though it was pretty damn cold and windy when we went, but still, even we saw a few cool birds. It's famous for the great blue heron, as it has a nesting ground in the park, and there wing span is about 6.5 feet. Unfortunatly, we never got around to going to the nesting ground but it's on my to-do list! I still need to wander around there and adventure, as our time was limited there, though I had a GREAT time there. We also got to climb to the summit of Mt. Baldy, which is this 126 foot sand dune (the biggest one in the park) and it was really awesome up there (despite the nuclear power plant next door, but just try to ignore it!...err...)! It was a really cool place, so I can't wait to go back!

     We also went on the Chicago Ghost Tour at night (the black bus you see around Chicago that says Ghost Tours). I was always fascinated with paranormal stuff, ever since I was really young. It still all fascinates me, and throughout my childhood and growing up until now, my dad and I would always go on different ghost tours when we were traveling, most of them being major cities.historical places in the US, such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Gettysburg and we also went on a London one back when I was in high school and I went on a Prague one when I was there last summer. And, of course, now I have also gone on the Chicago Ghost Tour (or at least one of the main ones) and it was really well done! We stopped at a lot of cool places that I knew of but didn't know how to find, such as the spot where the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre happened, where the SS Eastland tipped over on July 24th, 1915 and killed 844 people in the Chicago River. It's the largest loss of life shipwreck disaster on all of the Great Lakes. It's really a sad story. There is a historical marker there now on the river walk on E. Wacker, so that's pretty cool. So anyway, yeah the tour was really awesome and our tour guide was really funny and really nice so yeah, a good tour to check out here in the Windy City!

      This morning, we went to the Jane Addams Hull House (which was also on the ghost tour!), which was pretty sweet! Jane Addams, of course, was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and was a political and social activist and was very important and influencial in the Progressive Era and VERY important for Chicago. I could go on about her, but you should definitely check out the museum if you are in Chicago. It's actually only a house, which is all that remains of the whole settlement besides one other building next door and the small courtyard. So it's not that big but it's really interesting about hearing about life in the settlement and how Jane Addams helped all these children and lower class and working class kids and adults have a meaningful life where they did what they loved to do and how she was nice to immigrants who came to Chicago and much more! So check it out, it's right on the UIC campus, and you can get there by the Blue Line and getting off the UIC/Halsted stop. There should be directions if you look up the website! So enjoy!
     Also had lunch with my good friend Nick which is always a treat and then my father drove me back to my apartment and went to the airport to fly back to NJ!
      A good trip had by all! And now, if you didn't know before and probably now know, I am a bit of a history buff and I love love LOVE the outdoors! : )

      Well, today, I also got to listen to The Rising by Bruce Springsteen, released in 2002. Now, this is a GREAT album. It is Springsteen's response to the September 11th attacks and the effects it had on the nation. But, it is also a message of hope when the country seemed to be losing it. I read an interesting story today that I didn't know about the album. Supposively how Springsteen got inspired to make the album was when he was driving somewhere a few days after the attacks on 9/11 and a car stopped next to him. The person in the car rolled down his window and said to Springsteen "we need you now". This was said to be confirmed by Bruce, so I thought that was really cool! That's a cool way to get inspiration, and that person who said that was right, we needed some hope at that time, and that album certainly brought it to many people. So thank you, Bruce and the E-Street Band! Speaking of which, this is his first album with the E Street Band in 15 years (or 18 if you don't count Tunnel of Love) so that's really cool! And they do an AMAZING job on this album! This is also the album that I heard my first Bruce Springsteen song off of, "Further On (Up The Road)". My dad used to play it a lot in one of his mix cds and I always loved everything about it! So that song holds a special place in my heart. Anyway, this album is filled with amazing songs and has a very hopeful, upbeat vibe to it, but still has the struggle within it, especially when the theme is the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. And, of course, it also has the classic Bruce sound! So this is a great album to check out, and it is an important album for the folks like us that went though the 9/11 attacks. Though I didn't listen to the whole album until later in my life, I did know quite a few of the songs from that album as I grew up, either from my dad or from the radio. And as I listened to the album tonight, it made me go back to those times and the times of the September 11th attacks. I live ten miles from NYC and you can see it from my town, and I the day like it was yesterday. It had a very big impact on the area around me, and in my town. It also had it's own impact on me, and have my own story to tell about it. Alas, it is 4:42 in the morning and I should really get some rest, so I will save that story for my next post.
     Anyway, my favorite songs from the album: "Lonesome Day" (a video for it listed below), "Into The Fire", "Waitin' On A Sunny Day", "Empty Sky", "World's Apart", "Let's Be Friends (Skin To Skin)", "Further On (Up The Road)", "Mary's Place", "You're Missing", "The Rising", and "My City Of Ruins". So yeah, this album is one to check out for sure!
    Well, that's all for tonight! My next post will feature: My 9/11 Story and probably a review or two.
     You all have a good night! : )

  -The AR

Lonesome Day:

As Spring Break '11 Goes On: Thursday, Friday, Saturday

     What's up? Well, spring break is reaching it's end, with one more day (well, two for me since I don't have class mondays) and it has been a pretty relaxing one! I hope everyone has had a relaxing week as well and got to stay warm! Yes, the windy city is still as windy and cool as ever, but at least the sun has been out!

     So these past few days, my dad has been in town here (he's here until tomorrow night) so I have been spending time with him, and it's been a great time! Got to go see Second City (ok, who DOESN'T know Second City?? Well, I guess if you don't, it's the popular improv theatre company here in town that many from Saturday Night Live started out, and even the classics like Mike Myers, Dan Akroyd and many many more.) They have a show up now called "The Absolute Best Frickin' Time of Your Life" which has now been extended due to popular demand and is playing on the Second City ETC stage. Second City will always crack me up, and this show was no different! Had a great time and the cast is amazing as ususal, so yeah! Check it out! Second City is a must if you are only visiting too and if you live here, you NEED to see one of their shows. Now!

      Anyway, let's see. Also got to go to the opening of Sucker Punch, directed by Zack Snyder, and starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn and a few more. It is about a girl, Babydoll (played by Emily Browning) in the 1950's who is sent, by her father, to an asylum after accidentally killer her younger sister who the father was about to molest. Her father arranges for her to be lobotomized in five days. Along the way, she tries to escape with the help of four other girls as they live in the hell of the corrupt asylum and, we the audience, get to see how Babydoll mentally copes with her harsh reality and if her plan will work or not.
     Now, I never really was a fan of 300, which Snyder also directed, and the style the movie seemed to be in wasn't my favorite but, alas, something drew me to it. It may have been it's dark mood that I picked up from the trailer that really struck with me, but I think it was also the story, even though I didn't fully realize it until after the movie. If you look at it really closely, though it is an action movie, there is also something very tragic about the whole thing, as this being a "super-hero" or sorts is her way of dealing with her harsh reality in life and using her imagination to look at it differently. This, I am also guilty of at times, so that could have been the reason for me being drawn to it. Of course we all have those fantasies occasionally of being someone more "super" when we are stuck in rough situations, especially when we were all little and young. I've always had a very active imagination, from when I was a young kid going into now. It's why I like writing stories so much. My imagination is very much one of the stronger cards I was delt, and I'm proud of that! So yeah, Sucker Punch. Honestly, it's worth the watch. Maybe netflix it or rent it or whatever when it comes out in DVD, but I think you'll be surprised if you really look at the message. Watch it with an open mind. Also, I think some of the best performances are from Oscar Issac, who plays the evil orderly Blue Jones and also Scott Glenn, who plays the comedic but wise Wise Man. They were really fun characters to watch. Honestly, everyone does a pretty good job in the movie. So I guess no complaints. Was it my favorite movie of all time? No, but it was very enjoyable! (and oh yeah, I especially liked some of the covers of classic rock songs the movie had in the soundtrack, including "White Rabbit" covered by Emiliana Torrini and "Tomorrow Never Knows" covered by Carla Azar and Alison Mosshart. Also the cover of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" is by Emily Browning who plays Babydoll, the lead! She sings the song "Asleep", a Smith's cover, as well! She has a nice voice!)

      Also got to listen to The Ghost Of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1995. Well, yet again, the style has now changed for Springsteen since the album that came out before this one. This time, going back to a Nebraska-like sound, this being a very acoustic album, though not as dark as Nebraska. There are a few more instruments in this album, such as with "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "Youngstown", but still are pretty acoustic heavy. In the album, Springsteen paints a picture of what mid-90's life was like here in America and Mexico, going back to his more folk like style. He sings about the working class life as well, and it is a very peaceful album, but at the same time it tells a story that beautifully tells the "struggle" of such life at that time, and it comes out in the music and lyrics. It's a really cool album, and it's stories are always interesting to hear, as if you are listening to these songs out of a rustic and all too real storybook. Some of my favorites off this album: "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" (named after The Grapes of Wrath character, written by John Steinbeck), "Straight Time", "Highway 29", "Youngstown", "Across The Border", "Galveston Bay", and "My Best Was Never Good Enough". Below the post, I put up a video of Bruce performing "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" with Tom Morello, and it just kicks ass! One of the best performances of it I've seen! So check it out!
       Well, that's all I have for now! More to come tomorrow night! Time for me to get some much needed sleep! Tomorrow's post, I'll write more about my adventures today and more! Well, folks, have a great night!

  -The AR


Sucker Punch trailer:


The Ghost of Tom Joad (w/ Tom Morello)

As Spring Break '11 Goes On: Wednesday AKA Bitter Sweet Migraine In My Head

    What's up everyone! Well, Spring Break keeps going and going! I hope you all had a relaxing Wednesday, and that your spring break or regular week is going well. Today was nice! Well, at least it started nice. I had a good lunch with two good friends at Giordano's which was pretty sweet!

   Alas, after lunch, about a minute after I parted ways with my friends, I was struck by a migraine attack that came with all it's fury. Yes, loss of vision, numb in one side of my body, deathly horrible headache, nausea, and all. : ( : (
   Migraines are never fun, and they always knock out my day. I hate them so much, so so so much. I always play "Give Me Novacaine" by Green Day when I have a migraine to get my spirits but, because I think they put it really nicely about how I feel at the time of a migraine attack. It's my migraine song haha! Check it out below, you'll see why.
    So this caused me to basically stay in for pretty much the rest of the day, though I did cook veggie fajitas for another good friend of mine and also had dinner: part two with my roommate at Flaco's Tacos. Good times indeed!
   But what did I spend a good four hours doing?...

   ...Finally watching Lawrence of Arabia, that's what! This film is a classic, directed by David Lean, and starring an amazing cast that includes Peter O'Toole in the title role of T.E. Lawrence. It also has Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, and more! It came out in 1962 and is, as I said before, a classic of epic proportions! It's also a pretty long one, clocking in at about three hours and fourty seven minutes. Yeah, it's long, but it has an intermission/entr'acte, as well as an overture and a "finale" of sorts, with the famous music that you probably heard at least once in your life. Anyway, the film is based on   real life British Army Officer T.E. Lawrence and his experiences venturing out into Arabia during World War I, also during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turkish, and Lawrences affiliation with the Arab National Council. It also shows the struggles, both emotionally and physically, his adventure brings to him and how he deals with war and revolt. Peter O'Toole does amazingly playing Lawrence (he is very well known for this role, if it isn't his most famous one). He brings so much to this movie that makes in enjoyable, as well as the whole cast, including Alec Guinness who played Prince Faisal, who I realized towards the end of the movie was Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the first of the original trilogy to ever come out! His voice is very distinctive to me. Anyway, the whole cast did an amazing job! The desert scenes (which the movie takes place in the most in all honestly) are amazingly shot, especially when one of Lawrence's party gets lost in the Nefud Desert and Lawrence goes back to find him alone while being thurst deprived. He finds him and comes back to his party and goes up to Sherif Ali and tells him "Nothing is written", talking about his fate. You'll probably get it more if you see the movie, which I highly recommend as it is a classic and it is really epic! And that quote is probably now one of my favorite quotes ever! This is definitely one to watch, ladies and gents!

      Tonight, I also got to finish reading a book. Actually I mean a comic book! And I'm really glad I read it! I haven't read a comic book in awhile, but when I was younger, I always enjoyed reading them! I really liked Ultimate Spiderman when they first started coming out! haha, ohh comic books! Brings me back, and I still do enjoy them quite a bit, I think they are a really underated art form! Anyway, so my roommate introduced me to this comic series called The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. Gerard Way, I knew from My Chemical Romance, which I have also recently been introduced to by my roommate this year and can honestly say they are one of my favorite bands! I know, I know, I'm late as hell. I'm usually late with newer music haha! But anyway, he told me to check these out as we both knew Gerard Way from the band and he said they were really awesome, as he created the story for the comics, so he let me borrow them! I just finished the first volume, entitled Apocalypse Suite , tonight and I really enjoyed it! The story is about this family of super hero children with super powers who grow up and try to save the world from ending numorious times. In this volume (consisting of the six original issues that make up the volume), the family (or The Umbrella Company) try to save the world from a (literally) killer orchestra that is about to play a suite that will bring the world to a violent end, unfortunately with the help of one of their own. The super heroes include Space Boy, who has a gorilla body, The Rumor, who can state something and it will come true, and a few more! The world we are brought into is dark but sci-fi, and abstract. It's a very good read and the illustrations are AMAZING! I also really love the story, as it is very original and probably one of the most creative ways one can think of to end the world. So check it out, even if you don't read comics too often! It's been awhile for me, but I still love it!
    Well, that's all for now! Time for me to relax, get some rest to fully recover from this migraine, and get ready for tomorrow as my dad is coming to visit!!!!
     So I wish everyone a good night and keep it rock and roll! ; )

  -The AR


"Give Me Novacaine" by Green Day:


Lawrence of Arabia trailer:

As Spring Break '11 Goes On: Tuesday

    Happy end of Tuesday/very beginning of Wednesday everyone!!
    Hope everyone has been good! Today was a very relaxing day, kind of just stayed around the apartment all day with an exception of getting dinner. Never really have many of those days, but it was well needed I guess, you know? So, honestly, not too much. Got a few writing ideas which I am excited to expand over time.
    But anyway, now for a little diddy I'd like to call: The AR's Top Ten Spring Break '11 Songs!

    So I made a little top ten list of songs that are perfect to keep my Spring Break rockin', and they are some really awesome songs! Why they fit for Spring Break? Well, no reason really in all honesty! But I thought they were cool haha! So here's my Favorite Top Ten Spring Break songs for '11!:

         1."At The Library" by Green Day
         2. "Planetary (Go!)" by My Chemical Romance
         3. "Trembling" by Berry Sakharof
         4. "Chick Habit" by April March
         5. "We Got It Going On" by Bon Jovi feat. Big and Rich
         6. "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" by Bruce Springsteen
         7. "I Did It" by Dave Matthews Band
         8. "The Dirty Glass" by Dropkick Murphys
         9. "Last Good Time In Town" by Eagles
         10. "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis

    And there you have it, my Spring Break '11 Top Ten Song list!! Check 'em out, find them on YouTube or somewhere, and have a listen!

     Anyway, I also got to listen to some music today.

     Got to listen to Human Touch by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1992. It's an interesting album. This is his real first album without the E-Street Band, and you can tell that there has been a change. The album sounds a little more modern western rock to me. I didn't really feel too much of a New Jersey-esqe sound, though I guess what really is that? But I'm not sure. I do like the album, and it has some awesome songs, but they aren't my favorite out of all the Bruce Springsteen stuff I've heard. My favorite songs off this album: "Human Touch", "Soul Driver", "57 Channels (And Nothing On)", "Cross My Heart", "Roll of the Dice", "All Or Nothing At All" and "Pony Boy" (which is a cover of a traditional song with lyrics added by Springsteen).
My favorite song out of all these, though, has to be "Roll of the Dice". It has the classic Springsteen sound to me, more than the others in my opinion, and you can tell that even from the beginning of the song. It's pretty cool! So it's worth a listen, but if anything, those songs I mentioned will give you the jist of it!

      The other album I listened to was Lucky Town by Bruce Springsteen, released 1992 and released simultaneously with Human Touch. In all honestly, the same things I said about the other album apply for this one. Springsteen intended both of these albums to only be one album, but the project took longer than he thought, so he put it aside, but then decided to work on it again a year or so later and ended up writing more songs, so he decided to release two albums at the same time. The other thing with this album, as well as the previous one mentioned, is that you can tell through the sounds of the songs that there is a transition happening from 80's music going into 90's music. It's interesting to hear, for sure, and one of the reasons why I find these two albums so fascinating. But anyway, my favorite songs from Lucky Town: "Better Days", "Lucky Town", "Local Hero", "If I Should Fall Behind", "Leap Of Faith" and "Souls Of The Departed".

      Also got to watch a movie with my roommate tonight called Gentlemen Broncos, directed by Jared Hess (who wrote it as well, along with Jerusha Hess) and stars Michael Angarano, Jemaine Clement, Sam Rockwell, and Jennifer Coolidge. It is about a home schooled teenager, Benjamin Purvis (played by Michael Angarano), who wants to be a sci fi writer. He attends a writing workshop to show his ideas, and also to see his sci fi writing idol, the famous author Dr. Ronald Chevalier (played by Jemaine Clement). Unfortunatly for Benjamin, his story ends up getting plagiarized by his idol and also made into a god awful movie by the small town's local filmmaker. I really liked the movie; the cast is amazing and I love the dry humor. It reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite (which is also by the same writers and director, so no surpise it reminds me of it), which I didn't really get when I saw it, but I'm gonna have to re-watch it. It's been awhile too. But I do recommend this movie, I think it's really underated. I never even heard of it until my roommate told me about it, as he had it from netflix. From what I learned about it from looking it up, it really did not do well and got pulled from theatres, which kind of sucks because I didn't think it was really that bad! So check this out, it's really funny if you like dry humor!
        Well, that's all I have for now! Hope all is well, stay warm and have a good night, world!

    -The AR

"Roll of the Dice":


"If I Should Fall Behind" (one of the best performances I have seen):


"Gentlemen Broncos" trailer:

As Spring Break '11 Goes On: Monday

   What's up? How's everyone's spring break going? Or, if your not on spring break, how is everyone's week going? Hopefully good! Good is...good!

   Well, it's my Monday on spring break, and today was good. Went to Hot Doug's with one of my roommates and another friend of mine. Hot Dougs is pretty awesome! I had only gone once before, and I really liked it, and decided to take my friends to check it out. It's off the Belmont stop and a little ways down on the bus (west to California) and you walk north a block or two and there it is! (on the corner of California and Roscoe). They have all kinds of hot dogs if your into good hot dogs. They are amazing, and the prices are REALLY good. It's a pretty small place, and there is always a line so be prepared but today the line was only twenty minutes or so, but it's been known to snake down for two blocks or so! Another cool thing is that the owner of the store, Doug, always takes your order and he is a really nice guy! You can even have a quick conversation with him, which I have about music the first time I was there. Great guy! This is a must if you live or are in Chicago! Be aware of the line though, and also that it is currently open 10:00am-4:00pm (check website for changed hours) and that it is cash only! But it's worth it! They have even had such things as alligator sausage and (currently) Caribbean Goat Sausage as the game of the week! This place is a must! Check out their website, I even have the link below!
    Well, I also got to go check out about two movies since my last post.

     Last night I was hanging out with a good friend of mine and we decided to check out a movie and ultimately went to go see Battle: Los Angeles, now in theatres, directed by Jonathan Liebesman and, in the movie, is Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Jim Parrack, Michael Pena and more! I had wanted to see this movie for awhile, as I remember first seeing the previews for it. One of those reasons is I like quite a few alien movies when done right (such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Paul, and such, I'm sure there is more that I'm forgetting or I haven't seen) and another is I do admittingly enjoy "apocolyptic" movies. So this sparked my interest, and it's nice to be able to have a big range in movies to watch, as I pretty much like all kinds of movies, so this was on my list. It actually turned out to be a pretty good movie! I didn't know Aaron Eckhart was in it before I saw it, so that was a nice little surprise, and Michelle Rodriguez is one of my favorite actresses (especially loved her in Lost), so I was excited to see her in it, and she did a great job! The performances that I thought were really good were Michael Pena's character, Joe Rincon, and Bryce Cass, who played his son, Hector. They don't come in into about the middle but their final scene is amazing! I won't say more. Anyway, in this movie, aliens take over LA, along with twenty other major cities around the world, but we stay in LA for our story. We follow a bunch of soldiers as they go in, help a small group of civilian "survivors" (such as Joe and Hector) and together, they try to escape while taking back as much of the city they can. Aaron Eckhart plays SSgt. Michael Nantz, one of the soldiers, and Jim Parrack plays LCpl. Peter Kerns. I didn't know he was in it until I saw it either, and that was nice to see! I love him in True Blood. So I definitely think this movie is worth the watch if you are into movies like these! It's really quite a ride! The one thing I might say, though, is that (at least for me) there was a tad bit too much shaky POV came in the first part of the movie, which got me a tad bit dizzy. That's just me, and mind you I was not feeling my best during my viewing of the movie, as I had wayyyy too much coffee before I saw it. But yeah, so watch out for that if you see it and you get dizzy from such things, as I guess I did. The only other movie that did that for me was Cloverfield, and I did see the whole thing, but I felt funky after I saw it haha! So yeah, worth a watch though.

      The other movie I saw just tonight was the British film Sabotage AKA The Woman Alone (US title), released in 1936 and directed by none other than Alfred Hitchcock himself! It stars Sylvia Sidney, Oscar Homolka, Desmond Tester and John Loder. The film is about Detective Sergeant Ted Spencer (played by John Loder), who is assigned by Scotland Yard to go undercover and figure out as much as he can about various terrorist plots that are suppose to unfold in London by a terrorist group from an unknown country. Among them is Karl Verlock (played by Oscar Homolka), who owns a cinema. Verloc's wife (played by Sylvia Sidney) is alo thrown into all the mess, while trying to defend her husband as a good man, as he has been nice to her. Ultimately, after a series of events, she is thrown in too deep, and things get heated. I really enjoyed it. I love Hitchcock and he did a good job with this one. The sound editing is very interesting as well and has the classic old movie feel, which I did enjoy. I really enjoyed Detective Sergeant Ted Spencer's character as he goes undercover and tries to uncover the plots, and Verloc's wife is a very interesting character. Also, her brother, Stevie, is played by Desmond Tester and does a great job as his journey goes on in the movie. Definitely a classic to watch. I grew up on films like this, so I really appreciate old movies, as I'm sure many of you out there do! So check this one out! Believe it or not, I found the whole movie on Youtube in one video, so there ya go! Posted below!
     Well, I'm going to save my Spring Break song list for the next post, as it is almost three in the morning and I'm getting a bit tired! So I hope everyone has had a cool Monday, there are links and trailers below, and I will catch ya'll later! PEACE!

    -The AR


Hot Doug's: http://www.hotdougs.com/

Battle: Los Angeles:


Sabotage (Whole movie!):

Honey, I'm Tougher Than The Rest

     What's up good people! I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend thus far, and as Sunday starts to wind down, another week is coming! For me, it's spring break, so that means music, relaxation, wandering Chicago, hangin with friends, and hoping for some warm warm weather! Well anyway, here's a few new things to check out:

      Got to listen to Tunnel Of Love by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1987. This album is very interesting and I think you have to be in the right mood to appreciate it fully. Even though I do like the album and it has very good songs on it, it has a different kind of mood.
      I'd definitely call this album a "love album", if there is such a thing, but not in the way you would normally think. The themes of the album have a lot to do with love going wrong and struggles in relationships and trust. At the time of this album, Springsteen's first marrige was crumbling and he also decided, at this point, to part with the E-Street Band. They are on the album, but not very much. Most of it was recorded just by Springsteen. There is also still the 80's feel on this album, but I think a little more than the previous album to this one, Born In The USA and it's tone is definitely a little more dark. His personality does come out on this album, as well as what he was going through, which is one of the big reasons why I like it and respect it, because it's a very relatable album and has a strong universal theme. My favorite songs on this album: "Ain't Got You", "Tougher Than The Rest", "Spare Parts", "Tunnel of Love", and "Brilliant Disguise".
      Check out the video below of "Tougher Than The Rest". Gives you a good feel of the whole album. The other songs I mentioned are pretty cool too!
        I got to see some great movies this past weekend as well.

       One I have to mention is what I watched last night that is now one of my favorite movies of all time! This would be The Chumscrubber, directed by Arie Posin, released in 2005, and starring an ensemble cast which includes Jamie Bell, Ralph Fiennes, Camilla Belle, Justin Chatwin, Glenn Close, William Fichtner, and the list goes on! The film is about "suburbia" and what's hidden beneath the facade of perfection, themes including the lack of communication between parents and their kids, which shows in the movie very well as things get more dysfuntional than they already are, and it also deals the town's problem with perscription drug use. It revolves around the main character, Dean Stiffle, and his world around him, as he lives in the prison he calls his hometown. It is sooo worth the watch, and I fell in love with it. Maybe because I sort of relate to it? I lived a little piece of suburbia growing up myself, and I felt pretty trapped quite a number of times. It's a really cool movie, so check it out!

       I also got to see (twice) Paul, directed by Greg Mottola, written by the amazing Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and also starring an ensemble cast, including Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (of course), Kristen Wiig, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, Jane Lynch, Jeffrey Tambor, and that list also goes on, including a cameo from an amazing actress, who plays "The Big Guy". Of course, Seth Rogan voices the alien, Paul, who has crash landed on earth some odd years ago, was kept secret and contained by the US Government, but finally had enough, escaped, and is now trying to get home from help by Graeme Willy and Clive Gollings, close friends from England that are UFO/Sci-fi nerds and are on a road trip in America to visit all the UFO hot spots and run into Paul on their roadtrip. On the way to help Paul, they are "chased" by the FBI and they also run into some very interesting characters. This is definitely one to see. I'm also a big Simon Pegg/Nick Frost fan so of COURSE I'm gonna love this movie. It also has quite a few sci fi/movie references that are hilarious!! This movie is just hilarious in general. It just came out this weekend, so you got time to see it in theatres. Enjoy!
          Check out the trailers for these two movies below!
         Well, that's all I got for now! Anyone else on spring break? I know a lot of people's have just ended. In my next post will be The AR's Top Ten Spring Break Songs, and also probably a few more reviews. Peace out for now!
    
    -The AR

"Tougher Than The Rest":


The Chumscrubber:


Paul:

Even If We're Just Dancing In The Dark

    What's up?? Well, it's been a bit of a crazy week, but remember that spring break is approaching very quickly, and with that comes a good old week break! : )
     Well, trying to get better again, got the stress of school work, the good old anxiety kicking this week. Ohhhh lawd!! You know what it's like! I hope everyone's midterms went/are going well! I have a quiz in my Natural Disasters class tomorrow come to think of it. Shit. Well, I hope everyone has some cool stuff planned for spring break! Wheather you're in in Chicago, on the East Coast, on the West Coast, somewhere in between or even somewhere else in this amazing world!, hope whatever you do next week, you get some time to relax as well!

     Well, in the midst of this week, I so far got to listen to Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1984. Coming after the previous album mentioned on my blog, Nebraska, this definitely has another shift of style. Very different from Nebraska, and has it's feel of 80's music. No, it's not typical 80's though, it's Bruce 80's, rock and roll 80's, working class 80's! This album is more pop-y in it's sound and more upbeat than the previous album, the lyrics more about hope and fighting for the working class "American Dream", definitely something that I appreciate. It's a little more synthesized, but I mean it was the 80's, and it's not as heavy synthed as other bands back then. In fact, it really has a more rock and roll feel to it. It will definitely put you in a good mood, that's for sure. This album pretty much helped me though the week thus far. Hell, I'm listening to "Dancing In The Dark" right now!
     Springsteen knew, when making this album, that pop music was becoming really successful, and this album was Springsteen's way of saying "hey, I can rock the pop music world too!" and that he did. With the success of Michael Jackson's Thriller, he looked at trying to take over the airwaves himself and appeal to a wide audience, and that he did. This album did really well (it is one of his best selling albums, if not the best) and still kept his Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band originality.
    One misconception of the title track of the album, "Born In The USA" I find very interesting. A lot of people mistaken this song for a patriotic song/ anthem. Actually, this song is about the effect the Vietnam War had on the people here, partially inspired by people Springsteen who went to Vietnam and, at some times, never returned. It's about the working class that, at the time, felt like they didn't have a voice anymore. It really is a great song, and definitely one of my favorites for that reason alone, for the struggle and the cry within it, sometimes what people might have felt in the more recent Iraq Conflict, even though they were a bit different from from each other, it still effects people and families everywhere! The Iraq Conflict is just more my generation. Still, both the Vietnam Conflict and Iraq Conflict had it's price to pay, and that can be heard in this song.
     Speaking of which, my favorite songs in this album: you know, now that I think about it, I pretty much like all of them. There really isn't something I can say is my favorite and what is not. I guess the song that will always have a special place in my heart is "Glory Days".
     I remember when I was pretty young, like in 6th-7th grade and such, my dad always made these rock and roll mix CDs. And I remember I'd listen to them with him when we were going on longer trips like to Boston to see our group of friends up there or to Virginia and DC to see relatives and other friends, and I remember when "Glory Days" always came on and my dad would sing along to the chorus, and I'd try to sing along with him, though I had no idea what I was singing and really didn't know who Bruce Springsteen is. I always liked the song and was one of my favorites on his CDs, even though I didn't really go deeper into finding out a lot about it, I just knew it was "one of Dad's favorite songs". So, I grew up listening to it with him and, eventually, I just never had the oppurtunity to listen to it as much. Then, when I bought the album and listened to it, the song popped up and my memories of it instantly came back to me, and I realized I knew this song very well, and, in fact, I knew more songs on the album then I thought I did from the album. But that song, I remembered right away and it reminded me of good times hangin' with my dad, drivin down the highway blasting rock and roll music.
    Songs you probably (or should know) from this album: "Born In The USA", "Dancing In The Dark" (also known for Courtney Cox's appearance) , "Glory Days" (duh), and "No Surrender".
     Honestly, check out the whole album, it's worth it. At least check out "Glory Days" (which I posted a video for down below!) and the other three I just mentioned! They really do rock!
    Well, that's all I have for now! Remember: Rock and Roll will never die!!
    Take care now, keep rockin, world! PEACE!

   - AR

Glory Days:

Meet Me Tonight In Atlantic City

      Hey everyone. Not much going on today, just relaxing trying to get better for my Argentina trip, which is now a week from today! I'm getting pumped! Otherwise, kind of a boring day.
      I got to listen to Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1982. So in my previous post, I mentioned how Springsteen made a bit of a style change for The River, making it a bit more classic rock and roll. Well, this album again makes a style change for Springsteen, and bit more of a change at that.
      When I was living back in New Jersey when I was younger or whenever I'm home during certain breaks in college, I always like to go for a drive at night, just roaming around and exploring, wheather it be with a friend/friends or alone. As I drive around, I always noice wheather the New York skyline is visible from some parts of North Jersey (I live very close to NYC). When I had insomnia, I'd always go out for one of these drives and sometimes they'd go into the sunrise. I'd drive around the industrial areas, near the Hudson River, around some neighborhoods, on the turnpike, just exploring. I'd pass radio towers, swampland (the meadowlands), New York City across the Hudson, warehouses, working class neighborhoods, etc.
    Believe it or not, some of these drives were quite beautiful. I think it took three years at college and out of New Jersey to really appreciate New Jersey. It really does have it's own kind of working class history and culture the I respect. I regret not taking the oppurtunity to explore New Jersey a bit more, and it makes me happy to know I'll have a few more oppurtunities to explore. I think there can be a lot more to it then people think. I honestly never would imagine I'd ever sit here and write and defend New Jersey, but I must say there is something about it that has a hold on me. There are some things that will always bother me about it (like Jersey Shore and all it's wannabe's) but I can't say that I hate New Jersey anymore either. Maybe I CAN consider New Jersey a home of some sorts. I'll definitely say this: It's where I grew up and it does mean something to me....FINE, I guess it is a home to me. New Jersey: there's something about you...

    Anyway, why mention all this?? Well, when I had an off day and decided to drive around and it was late at night, or I just went for a night drive, spooky or not, Nebraska was always one of my favorites to play in my car during those times. Why? Because this album is perfect for such occasions. It's dark and soft, and of course, spooky. It is definitely acoustic, as Springsteen is the only one playing and it's mostly guitar and harmonica. This album was originally not going to be released, as it was suppose to be demos of songs for an album. He recorded these songs in his room on a casette player, which I think adds to the spooky sound of it, as it sounds very intimate. It's almost like sitting in a room with Springsteen and listening to him play. But anyway, he did record it with the E-Street after but everyone agreed that it didn't sound as good and lost a lot of it's spooky sound, so they decided to release the original demos instead, and hence this album was released. This album is dark, for sure, but it has some sort of soundtrack feel to it, as if it was meant for driving around New Jersey or any real dark place late at night. It does has a bit more of a folk acoustic sound to it, except "Open All Night", which is definitely more rock and roll-y and Chuck Berry like, which I love, as does "Reason To Believe" now that I think about it. But this album was always a great pleasure to listen to. This album also goes back to more of his story-telling lyrics than some of the previous albums, which I'm glad he did again. This is a great set of songs. It's haunting feeling will have you awed, and it's merkyness will have you in a atmosphere that seems vast and unknown. My favorite songs are: "Atlantic City", "State Trooper" (which was also one of the first Springsteen songs that got me more into him) and "Open All Night". Check those out at least, though I think the whole album needs to be heard to get "the experience". And hey, if you're ever driving around North Jersey late at night looking for something, but don't know what it is, listen to this album while you're doing it. It may help you find it.
    That's all I have for now. Have a good night everyone.

-AR

Everybody's Got A Hungry Heart

     What's up! Well, not too much going on here. Just survived midterm week (music theory midterm was killer but I think I did alright in it!) and got myself some kind of stomach bug as well : (  Grrr, I hate it. Oh well! Anyway, also this week, My good friend John and his boyfriend Matt came to visit, which was fuckin awesome!! So I had a great time hanging with them in the end of the week and, all and all, it's been a pretty good week! Hope everyone's doing well! Did anyone check out the St. Patrick's Day Parade today? Crazzzzy stuff!! And now the Chicago River is painted green, as usual for St. Patrick's Day. Funny it's not even the holiday yet, but I guess they still celebrate it this weekend because it falls on a weekend. It's cool!

     Anyway, got to listen to The River by Bruce Springsteen last night and I forgot how awesome that album is. Probably, in my eyes, one of the most perfect rock and roll albums to date. This is definitely a rock and roll album (double album actually!) and has something for everyone. Whenever I listen to this album, I feel like I'm back in an old rock and roll club or restaurant or something, as long as there's the old sixty's dancing. This album definitely has the feeling of that time period, even though it was released in 1980. Still, I love that old nostalgic rock and roll sound! This album is definitely more lighthearted than previous release, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, but still has some darkness to it with songs like "Independence Day" and "Wreck On The Highway". But there are plenty others that make you want to dance. Some of my favorites: "Sherry Darling", "Two Hearts", "Hungry Heart", "Out On The Street", "Crush On You", "You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)", "Cadillac Ranch", "I'm A Rocker", "Ramrod", and "Drive All Night". Yeah, a lot of them I really like haha!! I can guaruntee you that you have heard at least "Hungry Heart" and "Cadillac Ranch" at one point in your life. I think it's safe to say that those are the most popular ones. Anyway, this album still is a "working class rock" album at it's fullest and I love the style Springsteen is using in this album. This is probably one of my favorite rock and roll albums to date, just because it goes back to the old style of rock and roll and bringing it to a new generation (even though, as I said, it was released in the 80's, it still stands the test of time in my eyes). And it is most certainly a feel good album, especially after a hard week at work (or school). Surprisingly enough, Springsteen always get me to miss New Jersey just a little bit.
     Anyway, that's all I have for now. I'm gonna go rest up for a bit and who knows what else. Spring Break is getting closer (thank god) and I can't wait. Well, peace out for now!

-AR

Hungry Heart:

Darkness

      What's up homies!!
      It's been a few days since I have written here. In those few days, I've been busy with school work and having crazy times with friends. It's been good, though we have reached midterm week and that means...Music Theory cramming. At least I'm getting stuff done today. My friend Gladys and I went to Evanston to have a homework intensive, and it proved (actually) pretty damn productive. Caught up with some music theory and such, so that was good and read a bit of Les Miserables. Great book so far, but just long as hell. I'm on page 114 out of, what, 1430 pages I believe. I plan on finishing it though. At LEAST before the semester ends. I wish I had more time to work on personal projects and reading leisurely and such instead of worrying about homework. It's starting to get really frustrating...oh well.

      In the mist of all this, I finally got to see the movie "Black Swan", directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, and Barbara Hershey. If you didn't know, Natalie Portman recently won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in this film, and I believe she deserved it. I've wanted to see this film for awhile, and am glad I finally got the chance to see it. The film is about a dancer, Nina (Natalie Portman) who is a dancer who lives with her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey). She is offered the role of the white swan in the ballet Swan Lake, being directed to the hardcore ballet director Thomas (played by Vincent Cassel). Though Nina is perfect for the White Swan, she also has to play the Black Swan, which she has a hard time tapping into, since the part is more of a darker side than she appears to have. Yet throughout the film, we witness how she goes about preparing for the role and her competition between the other dancer perfect for the Black Swan, Lily (played by Mila Kunis). The acting in this film is superb and the whole film is dark and gets pretty creepy, which I like. The dancing and the way Nina's state of mind is shown is really awesome, and it has a real surreal feeling to it that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is also beautifully shot, and the tone is very fitting to the story. Certainly a film to see if you have yet to see it!

       Speaking of dark, I also got to listen to the darker Bruce Springsteen album, Darkness On The Edge of Town, released in 1978. This is know to be both lyrically and musically darker then his previous three albums. It tells of many struggles of the working class struggles, each side beginning with working class anthems and ending in pretty sad situations. I feel that this is his darkest album to date in terms of message as well, being very gritty and blunt, and I really enjoyed it. The songs here are amazing, my favorites being "Adam Raised A Cain", "Candy's Room", "The Promised Land", and "Streets of Fire" (which I'm currently listening too!). If anything, take a listen to these songs. Now that I think about it, during one of the last Bruce Springsteen concert I attended, they played this album in it's entirety and THAT was really cool and made me appreciate the album a bit more! It's consided a classic now, and has just been re-released as a box set and included a double album of outtakes, called "The Promise" (which also has a one disc version sold seperately). I've yet to listen to the album, except for a select few songs, but I heard it's amazing! Once I get a chance to listen to it, I'll tell you more about it. I hear it's amazing!
     Also, on this album, Springsteen's lyrics don't exactly tell a story straight out, the lyrics more emotional than narrative, even though I believe all songs tell stories wheather you realize it or not. But this is a great album and deserves a listen. At least check out the songs I mentioned. I'll leave a video of one below this post!
      Well, that's all I got for now! Gonna watch Slumdog Millionare with the roommates tonight, so expect to hear about that soon, as well as a few other things! Time to go work out and do a little more school work. Peace out!

-AR


Black Swan trailer


"Adam Raised A Cain" by Bruce Springsteen (I was there!!):

Coco

     Well it was a relaxing day. Not really productive, but, hey, at least I opened the text book. Yup...I don't know why I'm not productive. I mean, I need to stop procrastinating. By the end of the week, I want to be all caught up in work, read more of Les Miserables which I'm currently in the middle of reading (it's a huge book), and to finally start with this novel I have had an idea for since, at LEAST, end of senior year in high school. I know it's a big project, but I think I'm ready to try to get to it as best as I can. Ugh!! I just wish I didn't have so much homework so I could work on more personal projects!!! AHHHH!!!!...but I guess that's life.

    Well, last night I finally got around to seeing the 2009 French film Coco Avant Chanel (or Coco Before Chanel in english), directed by Anne Fontaine and starring Audrey Tautou, Benoît Poelvoorde, and Alessandro Nivola. The film is about Coco Chanel's early life before she became a famous fashion designer (and it will also explain in the beginning where she got her name Coco from, while her actual name was Gabrielle). Of course, we all know the fashion company "Chanel". So wheather you like to show there or not, I think this movie is worth a watch. I really liked it and it was a great part to my French film kick recently. I really like, obviously, the costumes, which are amazing in this film, my favorite obviously Coco's. I didn't realize how important she was to women's modern fashion and dress today, and it was really nice to dwelve into an aspect of the fashion world and some origins of modern fashion. I definitely have a little more appreciation for it now. I never really knew too much about today's modern professional fashion, besides bits and pieces that I have learned from someone last year, and even so, I wish I knew more about Chanel and it's origins before. Of course, Audrey Tautou does an AMAZING job as Coco, as she struggles through what to do for her professional future, as well as the relationships she gets tangled up with. Also, her unique sense of fashion (and one that seems really awesome) was not common in those days when she was growing up, but eventually became huge and inspirational. The film doesn't really go deep into when Chanel became a bigger company of her own, which I think is really cool, as this concentrates deeply on the backstory, in which the company Chanel would not be around if the story didn't go the way it did. I'm glad they concentrate on it, as it is very important. So yes, check out the trailer below this post and definitely go check out this film, it is definitely worth the watch! Especially if you are into fashion!
      Otherwise, tonight I had the great pleasure to enjoy a concert at Chicago's Symphony Center tonight, in which The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, conducted by Cliff Colnot, performed Two Legends from the Kalevala, Op. 22 by Sibelius and The Poem of Ecstasy by Scriabin. May I just say that the Civic Orchestra does an AMAZING job. This is my second time seeing them live and they are always a treat to see (check out their website below!). The music tonight was epic and I loved watching the violin parts when the music suddenly crescendoed. It was really sweet, and the whole orchestra does an amazing job. The music tonight was very epic, and they are definitely worth checking out! I believe that most of their concerts are only 2 dollars! Yup, not a bad price at all for a good concert!! Definitely worth it, especially for that cheap! There is a lot to see at Symphony hall, sometimes I forget how many great concerts it has to offer! Next season, they are also doing another "Friday Night At The Movies" series, in which the three movies they will show next season, along with a live orchestra playing the music for the movie (which I think is a really rad idea!) is Casablanca, West Side Story, and Pirates of the Caribbean! I'm really looking forward to all three of them!
       Alright, well it's 3 in the morning here, and I have dance class at nine so I should probably get going to sleep! Hope everyone has had a good start of a new week, and I will catch you all later! Peace out!

-AR

Coco Before Chanel



Chicago Civic Orchestra website: http://cso.org/Institute/CivicOrchestra/Default.aspx