Grind Week, Blink 182, Miscellaneous "Crap"

What up world! Happy Monday (now Tuesday) to everyone out there getting started on their weekday work grind! Another week of teaching physical education at the local high school  for this guy. This is grind week, 5 teaching days followed by 2 serving shifts. Then I'm off for a couple weekends and a shit-tonne of good times, but for now - I'm grindin'. Let's go!

This tune comes to us all the way from Korea, not really, but DBudd sent it my way from Korea so we'll say that. Despite the fact that the White Stripes have called it a career, Jack White is still a workaholic, channelling his creative juices into great music. Throw in DJ Danger Mouse, of Gnarls Barkley and the Grey Album fame, and you've got a couple individuals dedicated to making great sounds. Check out their collabo here, it comes off of DJ Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi's new album, "Rome", due out next Tuesday.

Ding Dong! The witch is dead! The wicked witch.... no, I'm not getting my munchkin on - but I will share my delight in seeing the wicked witch of the NBA West, the Los Angeles Lakers, get pumped and promptly sent home for their summer vacays on Sunday. Dallas looks pretty good and they'll get loads of rest as the other three series' look like they're set to go the distance. One thing we've discovered, a bit earlier than anticipated, is we do know that there will be a new NBA Champion in 2011. One thing we already knew, but reaffirmed, is that Jason Terry will make his open jumpers. Right P-Jax. Happy Trails.

I'm gonna switch it up for this blog, get off my usual hip hop tip, and take a look at another genre and specifically another band as I use Blink 182 to kick-start this week's discussion. Also, I'll keep the summer countdown going as it's not getting any further away, and we'll get a rundown of all information pertinent to the week starting the 9th of May, 2011 - that means album and film releases and other 'can't miss' crap.

*Emo Warning set to Amber*
Summer of 1999, I had just cleared a place on my wall for my newly minted middle school diploma. I was preparing for the big leagues of high school, fast buses and loose women, I had a new sound in my ear. I'll admit I wasn't there for their 'old-sound' of  Buddha or Cheshire Cat. I can't even say it was Dude Ranch, arguably their finest album, that put me on Blink. I think I speak for many, when  I say, it was "What's My Age Again?" in the summer of 1999 followed by  "Adam's Song"  and "All the Small Things" that started my love for the music of Blink 182. Blink exploded on the scene in 1999 with their mock boy band parody music vids and their toilet humoured energy - a perfect escape for 9th graders everywhere. While their music steadily crept closer to the mainstream middle re: "pop", over the years, achieving greater polish - sparked by cleaner riff-driven melodies.However, it was their early work, most notably Dude Ranch, that has resonated with me through the years. Maybe I'm just refusing to grow up but I find the subject matter still strikes a chord, pun pardoned. And then sometimes, you just can't go back. While they recently have reunited for tours after a couple years hiatus, the group has moved in different directions - with each member embarking on a multitude of other side projects. Maybe it was just the right place and right time for what I felt was the right sound, they may never rekindle then magic they found at the turn of the new millennium. So without further ado, Blink 182, top 25 songs, as voted by me. This one goes out to the fellas who were in Aussie with me. I know we never banged out a definitive top 25 list, but we definitely have had this discussion at length, possibly over a game of drinking jenga! Enjoy.

Blink's Best (My Opinion)
25. What's My Age Again - "...the state looks down on sodomy"
24. Anthem - "I time bomb"
23. Enthused  - "I swear, I'll act enthused"
22. Easy Target - "Southern California's breeding mommy's little monster"
21. Dysentery Gary - "Fuck the guy tho took her and ran away"
20. Boring - "Boring, alright."
19. Please Take Me Home - "Oh no it happened again, she's cool, she's hot, she's my friend."
18. Dumpweed - "She's a dove, she's a fuckin' nightmare."
17. The Party Song - "She wasn't wearing underwear, at least I prayed..."
16. Pathetic - "I think it's disgusting, believing and trusting."
15. Dick Lips - "I know I've seen you trashed, at least one time."
14. Aliens Exist - "I'm not like you guys."
13. Voyeur - "The lonely guy I am, I wait for her to change."
12. Don't Leave Me - "Let's try this one more time with feeling."
11. Untitled - "It's not a change of taste, I was the one there last night."
10. Anthem Part 2 - "Young and hostile, but not stupid."
09. Man Overboard - "Time keeps moving on and on and on..."
08. Stay Together for the Kids - "If a stupid poem could fix this home, I'd read it everyday."
07. Stockholm Syndrome - "An empty heart. (replaced with paranoia.)"
06. Give Me One Good Reason - "Give me one good reason, why we need to be like them."
05. Going Away To College - "Why does it feel the same to fall in love or break it off?"
04. Mutt - "He pauses shaving and tells himself that he is the bomb."
03. Lemmings - "I wanted everything, I got it,  and now I'm gonna throw it away, I'll throw it away yeah ."
02. Dammit - "Well I guess this is growing up."
01. Apple Shampoo - "...but some good things must end"

Rain isn't snow, and with that the in mind - the summer countdown continues.

Pool Party? Not exactly.

44. Patios - This morning I went out my back door to see about a half dozen wooden table tops and benches strewn about Orange Lane, the Pump House is putting its summer patio together. This quickly reminded me how much important a part of summer patios are. A patio changes the game, makes eating in the summer a much more all encompassing affair (a drinking affair). What's better than a warm breeze on the patio while enjoying a nice cool cocktail. After hours a patio can be a cool getaway from a packed dance floor - summer is all about the patio.
43. Summer Bars - This one kind of ties into the last, a lot of exclusively summer bars are reliant on their laidback patio friendly atmosphere. Throw in the novelty that they are only open a few months of the year and their appeal heads skyward. When I think summer bars, I think of PEI and how much fun that place is during the summer months. Isn't it so much better to go to the bar in what you want to wear and not have to worry about checking your jacket, mittens, scarf, ear muffs, tuque, boots, long johns, thermal underwear, you get the point.
42. Pool Parties - It is no secret that the kid who has the pool is the coolest kid all summer long, one caveat being - have pool - must throw party.
41. Jet Skies -  I'll let Daniel Tosh share with you what he thinks of Jet Skies, know that I second that emotion.

What's new and exciting for this week? Well not a whole lot is the answer, but there is still NHL and NBA Playoffs going on to keep your sporting appetite under wraps. As far as new CD's some good Canadian content out there as both Sam Roberts and Sloan drop new albums this week. Two bands I have seen live and have enjoyed at different points in my life. For me, the music edge goes to Sam Roberts on this one. His live concert in the rain and mud over 5 or 6 years ago for the Festival of Lights in Charlottetown was one of the best shows I've been to in my life so he -hands down - takes that one. As far as films go, some funny ladies do their best "hangover" impression in "Bridesmaids" and so far reviews are quite good. It is possible that this female driven comedy could match the hilarity of the Hangover? Seriously, I'm asking, "is that possible?" What's more, there's a set of indie flicks set to open - "Everything Must Go" and "Hesher"  both come out this week. I'll be doing a "we're not 'blockbusters', we're just the best movies of the summer" report here real soon, both of these films will be in that mix. For now just check out the trailers. Have a great week all! P.

 

P.S. Shout out to Denmark. I donno who is in Denmark reading this blog, but the audience statistics suggest I have a following in Denmark, and for that I say ,"dank je wel"!