Foxymoron

Get crackin' get get crackin'

I'll admit, I had my apprehensions about that girl called M.I.A. (aka Maya Arulpragasam). I first heard "Galang" months ago and couldn't understand what the hell she was saying. But I'm old enough to know not to judge someone by first impressions and now I can't get enough of her album, Arular. Some speak of its political content or how interesting the woman is. Others just flat out hate it. I just like how it comes together and in the end, how it sounds. I've been listening to the CD all freakin' week, I can't get enough of this woman. It's kitchy. It's sometimes obnoxious. It reminds me of old skool Nintendo. It makes me want to shake, shake, shake it.

MP3 of the week, M.I.A.'s "Bucky Done Gone" from Arular

Power Out

Last night's Arcade Fire was good. Not really, really amazing like the folks at Tuesday's show said it would be. Tuesday evening ended with a funeral procession through the crowd and out the door, while Wednesday's show ended with Win getting lost through the crowd and a bunch of kids climbing off stage after contributing to "Wake Up." It didn't really end with a bang. Actually, it was anti-climactic and there was only a single song in the only encore, so yeah, after hearing about two, maybe three encores at Tuesday's show, it was a letdown. But overall the show was worth the $24. The band was tight, Win was crazy, Regine was adorable and the strings sounded amazing.

While I found openers Wolf Parade underwhelming, Final Fantasy (aka Owen Pallett of Hidden Cameras) was simply wonderful. Dressed in really, really tight pants and accompanied by an overhead artist, he looped his violin and made me wish I grew up like every other Asian child and took violin lessons.

The world needs more animation

I've always thought there should be more animated music videos in the world. Everything else is the same old crap. Sing in microphone. Tap feet. Look like you're having a good time or stare pensively off camera. BOR-RING!

Maybe Arcade Fire agrees with me. Toronto-based animation studio, Plates Animation Inc., animated the band's video for "Neighbourhoods #3 (Power Out)" (via Stereogum). It's not a bad video, (a little too violent for my tastes,) but it is a better animation than the Plates video for The Shins' "So Says I" which involves shady penguins.

My favourite animation comes from Delicious 9, the studio does all the work for Caribou (formerly known as Manitoba). When I saw the band at the Rivoli a couple weeks ago, I was impressed by the new animations. You can watch the new video/music promo for "Yeti," from the their new CD, The Milk of Human Kindness.

Burn this city

After a Friday evening of less-than-classy establishments, I was looking forward to Saturday night, a bar-hopping evening of birthday celebrations and multiple worlds colliding. I like those evenings, those "go big or go home" events where everyone wants to have a good time.

These days, the challenge is finding an outfit appropriate for all the different venues. We started off at Paaeez where I smoked hooka for the first time. They said it was strawberry flavoured, I tasted apricot. Then, after a detour for dogs at College and Bathurst, we cabbed it to Gypsy Co-op. It was a short ride but it was pouring and no one wants to walk in heels while stuffing a loaded hot dog. After a Heineken and a couple bites of a lost chocolate-banana cake, I headed out towards Lee's Palace. I walked with my earphones and hood over my head, just me, Conor Oberst and the rain.

It felt strange to line up for the Dance Cave. I hadn't been there for months, not since TLC came to visit, and by the time I was in the middle of the line it was already 1:30. But the wait was worth it. The DJ played Arcade Fire, Franz and Weezer, but it was Jon Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" that made my night. There's something about holding a beer bottle in the air and shouting "Wooaaaah! We're halfway there!" with friends. JBJ brings people together.

The wonderful Teri was also present and looking fine with her out-of-town friends. We hugged and I said "I love your blog" because it was funny the first time I said that to her outside of a dirty Macdonald's on Yonge St. Seriously though, I really do love her blog and I think you should read love it too. I like her writing style, it's what City Stories should be more like and I go to it daily in hopes that she has updated again. Go read her piece in Lil Bits and be sad that she's leaving for Montreal in the fall.

(Photo by Rannie aka Photojunkie)

This broken fence between past and present tense

Last night, someone gave me trouble for the lack of updates on this blog. Aside from the end of school, moving, and dealing with change, the truth is, I don't know what to blog about. I've been writing, just not here.

Suburbia is uninspiring. You've heard me complain about it before: strip malls, SUVs, drive-thru banking. My surroundings make me want only to sleep or consume (usually food). Thank God it's all temporary.

This is a week sandwiched by shows. On Thursday, the Stars shared the bill with a very bored-looking Organ, Wooden Stars and Montang. And I'm holding my breath for next week's Arcade Fire show. In the meantime, I've reverted back to high school days. I haven't unpacked. Instead, I sit in my room alone and play music loud.

Lisa lent me her copy of The Weakerthans' Left and Leaving and I'm addicted. Last week, I loved Josh Rouse's Nashville for its pop hooks and optimism. This week, I'm addicted to LAL for its poetry. Find me another song like "Aside" that so eloquently describes an uncertain state of transition. Do it. Just try. I dare you.

MP3 of the week: The Weakerthans's "Aside"

The Moron is Back!

The madness is over. The magazines have been released into the big bad world. They're beautiful. Above is a picture of the first drafts of the spring (left) and summer (right) covers. The coverlines are slightly off, but the design is basically the same. The spring issue should be on newstands this week and expect to see the very hot summer issue of the Ryerson Review of Journalism July-ish.

It's the day after our crazy launch party and I'm still recovering. I'm sad. The past few months have been the most intense in my life, mostly because of the RRJ. I have been very unhealthy with insufficient nutrition and sleep, not to mention the complete lack of exercise. But I have loved every second of this magazine-making business. I'm really happy with the product and the wonderful people I got to work with. I've made some amazing new friends. And although I have some regrets, I would do this school year all over again.

Play your stereo loud

I've returned from the month long hiatus. Magazine production is over and although it seemed like it would never end, it's over and I miss it. I would do it all over again. But let's not speak of the past, life is good and tomorrow is the Ryerson Review of Journalism launch party at Hotel Boutique. We will introduce our 2005 spring and summer issues to the big bad world and be on our merry way to developing our journalism careers.

Bill and I traded Josh Rouse CDs. I gave him the early stuff, Home. I have fond memories of Rouse despite never having seen him live. I will forever associate Home with countryside cottages, hiding in a sauna and hanging out with a (psuedo) rock star before I knew any better. His music has progressed from sad and melancoly to poppier and more optimistic. It's a strange transition since everyone else seems to be doing it the other way around, but I think Rouse's latest album, Nashville is one of his strongest yet. I can't get enough of the opening track, "It's the nighttime."

So here's the new feature of this here Foxymoron blog: weekly mp3(s). They won't stay online forever, so download while you can. It's my weekly obsession/download and this week, it's:

Josh Rouse's "It's the nighttime" from Nashville. Enjoy.