The Web Pen Blog

OSR: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Howard — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:03:00 +0000

One Sentence Review: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

How to make an insanely boring action movie: make sure your audience is completely apathetic towards all the characters.

Rating: Late-Night Cable Fodder

Rating System: Full-Price Ticket, Matinee, Wait For DVD, Late-Night Cable Fodder, I’ve Made Better Films With My Ass Camera

Listening to: “21 Guns” – Green Day

New Bleu That’s Long Overdue

Howard — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:00:58 +0000

Bleu
A Watched Pot
Artist Garage

Out July 14th

It’s been years in the waiting, but Bleu’s dropped-from-the-label third album comes out next month. Back in 2005 he had just finished recording when suddenly his record label decided to fire artists and employees alike in a downsizing.

Thankfully, he decided to gather up some of his friends and recorded an old-fashioned Electric Light Orchestra record. No, really. He studied how Jeff Lynne wrote and produced, got some of his friends who are fans as well and relived the glorious over-the-top 70’s in a band called L.E.O. That collection of music ended up at #5 in my The Year That Was 2006 list.

Now with his label woes — hopefully — behind him, Bleu will be releasing his A Watched Pot from record company purgatory. I was given a chance to listen to the album because of the nice things I said about L.E.O. and so far really like what I’ve heard. While there are a couple of songs that are meant to make teenage girls swoon, there is plenty of meaty stuff as in songs like the wonderfully-titled theme for douches “I Won’t Fuck You Over (This Time)” and the sincere, bitter heartbreak of “No Such Thing As Love”. He also does blues-pop well in the demo-like “What Kind Of Man Am I?”

His management even gave me a couple of the tracks to use, so use I will.

This is the first track on the album and quite a great little pop number. I found this to be the most commercial track on the album with its highs and lows, its killer chorus and its emo-inducing lyrics. Have a listen.

“Save Me”
[Please visit the post to listen to file]

The other track they sent me is the aforementioned “No Such Thing As Love”. It’s a powerful song that’s reminiscent of 10cc, Paul Simon and, of course, ELO.

“No Such Thing As Love”
[Please visit the post to listen to file]

I’ve waiting several years for this and it’s been worth the wait. Bleu has an extraordinary and very unique voice that is well suited for power pop. The years have obviously been good to A Watched Pot and hopefully it will find the audience it deserves.

Lily Allen – “Fuck You”

Howard — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:00:42 +0000

I was so happy this song made her album. It was previewed on her MySpace page months before the album’s release and had me in hysterics with its message to homophobes. In fact, several radio stations in Europe starting playing it even though it wasn’t an official single release and it even made #1 in The Netherlands. Now it’s an official single and has a fun little video with it; however, there is an even better French fan-made video made in collaboration the Big Fat Gay Collab. Go figure on the name, eh? Anyway, the fan video is hilarious and below Lily’s official video. Enjoy!

“Fuck You”

France’s BFGC video

Listening to: “Going Thru The Motions” -- Hall & Oates

New Green Day: “21 Guns”

Howard — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:18:09 +0000

Their latest is a surprisingly tight little album along the same vein as American Idiot — all protest. “21 Guns” is one of my favorites and is in the much better second half of 21st Century Breakdown. The video is a tad boring, but the chorus pretty much rocks.

Green Day – “21 Guns” – HD

Listening to: “That’s It That’s All” – Beastie Boys

Having Breakfast For Cancer

Howard — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:31:05 +0000

Tomorrow morning I’m going to a fundraiser breakfast for Light The Night which is the fundraising walk for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It’s not that going to it is anything to worry about since I have to no money to give. It’s the fact that they want me to tell my story in order to move people to open up their bank accounts and give.

Is my story compelling enough? Can I play people heart string’s like a classical Spanish guitar-player wooing his woman up on the balcony? Is it possible to get through my testimony without using the phrase “butt sex”?

I just don’t know.

Making people laugh — THAT I can do. I’ve made light of so much of my experience last year because that’s how I deal with stress, but are people going to appreciate me making lymphonade jokes? I’ve been told the table I’m at is full of the “fun” givers as they were trying to match up survivors with an appropriate group with which to chew said fat.

I guess it will turn out as it will. I’m just honored they thought of me to invite. I was told they were brainstorming which survivors had the most charm and charisma and that my name came up rather quickly. I’ll make it fun. I know that’s just how I work, so I’ll try not to worry about what exactly to say and simply improv about my experiences.

Besides… free food!

Listening to: “I Hate It That I Got What I Wanted” – Clearlake