archives
03/28/2004 - 04/04/2004
04/04/2004 - 04/11/2004
04/11/2004 - 04/18/2004
04/18/2004 - 04/25/2004
04/25/2004 - 05/02/2004
05/02/2004 - 05/09/2004
05/09/2004 - 05/16/2004
05/16/2004 - 05/23/2004
05/23/2004 - 05/30/2004
05/30/2004 - 06/06/2004
06/06/2004 - 06/13/2004
06/13/2004 - 06/20/2004
06/20/2004 - 06/27/2004
06/27/2004 - 07/04/2004
07/04/2004 - 07/11/2004
07/11/2004 - 07/18/2004
07/18/2004 - 07/25/2004
07/25/2004 - 08/01/2004
08/01/2004 - 08/08/2004
08/08/2004 - 08/15/2004
08/15/2004 - 08/22/2004
08/22/2004 - 08/29/2004
08/29/2004 - 09/05/2004
09/05/2004 - 09/12/2004
09/12/2004 - 09/19/2004
09/19/2004 - 09/26/2004
09/26/2004 - 10/03/2004
10/03/2004 - 10/10/2004
10/10/2004 - 10/17/2004
10/17/2004 - 10/24/2004
10/24/2004 - 10/31/2004
10/31/2004 - 11/07/2004
11/07/2004 - 11/14/2004
11/14/2004 - 11/21/2004
11/21/2004 - 11/28/2004
11/28/2004 - 12/05/2004
12/05/2004 - 12/12/2004
12/12/2004 - 12/19/2004
12/19/2004 - 12/26/2004
12/26/2004 - 01/02/2005
01/02/2005 - 01/09/2005
01/09/2005 - 01/16/2005
01/16/2005 - 01/23/2005
01/23/2005 - 01/30/2005
01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005
02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005
02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005
02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005
02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005
03/06/2005 - 03/13/2005
03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005
03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005
03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005
04/03/2005 - 04/10/2005
04/10/2005 - 04/17/2005
04/17/2005 - 04/24/2005
04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005
05/01/2005 - 05/08/2005
05/08/2005 - 05/15/2005
05/15/2005 - 05/22/2005
05/22/2005 - 05/29/2005
05/29/2005 - 06/05/2005
06/05/2005 - 06/12/2005
06/12/2005 - 06/19/2005
06/19/2005 - 06/26/2005
06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005
07/03/2005 - 07/10/2005
07/10/2005 - 07/17/2005
07/17/2005 - 07/24/2005
07/24/2005 - 07/31/2005
07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005
08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005
08/14/2005 - 08/21/2005
08/21/2005 - 08/28/2005
08/28/2005 - 09/04/2005
09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005
09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005
09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005
09/25/2005 - 10/02/2005
10/02/2005 - 10/09/2005
10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005
10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005
10/23/2005 - 10/30/2005
10/30/2005 - 11/06/2005
11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005
11/13/2005 - 11/20/2005
11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005
11/27/2005 - 12/04/2005
12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005
12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005
12/18/2005 - 12/25/2005
12/25/2005 - 01/01/2006
01/01/2006 - 01/08/2006
01/08/2006 - 01/15/2006
01/15/2006 - 01/22/2006
01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006
01/29/2006 - 02/05/2006
02/05/2006 - 02/12/2006
02/12/2006 - 02/19/2006
02/19/2006 - 02/26/2006
02/26/2006 - 03/05/2006
03/05/2006 - 03/12/2006
03/12/2006 - 03/19/2006
03/19/2006 - 03/26/2006
03/26/2006 - 04/02/2006
04/02/2006 - 04/09/2006
04/09/2006 - 04/16/2006
04/16/2006 - 04/23/2006
04/23/2006 - 04/30/2006
04/30/2006 - 05/07/2006
05/07/2006 - 05/14/2006
05/14/2006 - 05/21/2006
05/21/2006 - 05/28/2006
05/28/2006 - 06/04/2006
06/04/2006 - 06/11/2006
06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006
06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006
06/25/2006 - 07/02/2006
07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006
07/09/2006 - 07/16/2006
07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006
07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006
07/30/2006 - 08/06/2006
08/06/2006 - 08/13/2006
08/13/2006 - 08/20/2006
08/20/2006 - 08/27/2006
08/27/2006 - 09/03/2006
09/03/2006 - 09/10/2006
09/10/2006 - 09/17/2006
09/17/2006 - 09/24/2006
09/24/2006 - 10/01/2006
10/01/2006 - 10/08/2006
10/08/2006 - 10/15/2006
10/15/2006 - 10/22/2006
10/22/2006 - 10/29/2006
10/29/2006 - 11/05/2006
11/05/2006 - 11/12/2006
11/12/2006 - 11/19/2006
11/19/2006 - 11/26/2006
11/26/2006 - 12/03/2006
12/03/2006 - 12/10/2006
12/10/2006 - 12/17/2006
12/17/2006 - 12/24/2006
12/24/2006 - 12/31/2006
12/31/2006 - 01/07/2007
01/07/2007 - 01/14/2007
01/14/2007 - 01/21/2007
01/21/2007 - 01/28/2007
01/28/2007 - 02/04/2007
02/04/2007 - 02/11/2007
02/11/2007 - 02/18/2007
02/18/2007 - 02/25/2007
02/25/2007 - 03/04/2007
03/11/2007 - 03/18/2007
03/18/2007 - 03/25/2007
04/08/2007 - 04/15/2007
04/15/2007 - 04/22/2007
04/22/2007 - 04/29/2007
04/29/2007 - 05/06/2007
05/06/2007 - 05/13/2007
05/13/2007 - 05/20/2007
05/27/2007 - 06/03/2007
06/10/2007 - 06/17/2007
06/17/2007 - 06/24/2007
06/24/2007 - 07/01/2007
07/01/2007 - 07/08/2007
07/15/2007 - 07/22/2007
09/02/2007 - 09/09/2007
09/16/2007 - 09/23/2007
10/07/2007 - 10/14/2007
10/21/2007 - 10/28/2007
11/18/2007 - 11/25/2007
11/25/2007 - 12/02/2007
12/02/2007 - 12/09/2007
12/09/2007 - 12/16/2007
12/16/2007 - 12/23/2007
12/23/2007 - 12/30/2007
12/30/2007 - 01/06/2008
01/06/2008 - 01/13/2008
01/13/2008 - 01/20/2008
01/20/2008 - 01/27/2008
01/27/2008 - 02/03/2008
02/03/2008 - 02/10/2008
02/17/2008 - 02/24/2008
02/24/2008 - 03/02/2008
03/02/2008 - 03/09/2008
03/09/2008 - 03/16/2008
03/23/2008 - 03/30/2008
03/30/2008 - 04/06/2008
04/06/2008 - 04/13/2008
04/20/2008 - 04/27/2008
04/27/2008 - 05/04/2008
05/11/2008 - 05/18/2008
05/18/2008 - 05/25/2008
06/01/2008 - 06/08/2008
06/08/2008 - 06/15/2008
06/15/2008 - 06/22/2008
06/22/2008 - 06/29/2008
06/29/2008 - 07/06/2008
07/20/2008 - 07/27/2008
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Goin' Ape... No Wait, Goin' Broke
I cannot not spend money. It must be encoded on the genetic level or something. In any case, I have GOT to keep myself away from Kensington market in the future. That place is like my kryptonite. I was simply in the area to buy some canvas stretchers & textiles, but I simply couldn't resist buying:- An artist's manikin
- Two small paintbrushes
- A palette
- A gen-U-ine Soviet-era russian military canteen (pricey!)
- Southern Comfort (to go in canteen)
- Cheese (delicious)
With all that PLUS my new copy of Sin City: That Yellow Bastard, it'll be a wonder if I can even afford a lunch on monday. Sigh, I really have to start actually USING my bank account.
Oh well, speaking of Sin City, there's a new trailer out! For those of you who have been ignoring my (admittedly) numerous posts on this, I really think that you oughta give it a look. I may not be a film student, but that is some nice cinematography, if I'm not mistaken. Plus, special guest director Quentin Tarantino!
Rats Flying F-22's.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
All Sam's Fault
Sam bullied me on msn last night into doing a write up on one of my favourite CD's. Y'know how I always quote Canibus on this Blog? (At least 3 times...) Here's why:-----------------------------------------------
Hidden Gems
Canibus – Rip The Jacker
Executive Producer: Stoupe The Enemy of Mankind
Mic Club / Baby Grande 2004
“This is lyrical lunacy from a human being that speaks so fluently”
Canibus has arrived at his incredible fifth album truly half way between lunacy and brilliance. Science, literature, religion, and the creative struggle form his obsessions. The continual exploration of these themes creates a powerful spine for a wildly tangential piece.
Canibus is one the most lyrically imaginative MC’s of all time (and he does know it). The first song, Genabis, parallels the creation of Canibus’ rap style to the Genesis story of the creation of the earth. In Levitibus, Canibus spits a densely technical description of receiving a spy plan in a Coke can. No Return is the mid-album showstopper which consists of three stories in which Canibus is killed in a flaming building, a corner store in the Middle East and a futuristic space flotilla. Everything wraps up with Poet Laureate II, which runs over seven minutes without a chorus, in which Canibus explains his absolute devotion to rap, his fall from the top and his hope to be recognized in the future – all in a scattered, riddle-like structure.
Then we have the delivery of these lyrics. Canibus attacks his incredibly dense rhyme structures at such a speed that they are literally unspeakable to the untrained tongue. Canibus’ flow is grimy and vicious but works surprisingly well with his imaginative, tangential writing style. He spits out hard consonants timed to appropriately to punctuate all his bizarre ideas.
The other half of the album belongs to Stoupe, the Enemy of Mankind, who is behind the boards on every track. He too has created something masterfully original. Stoupe is an old-fashioned style DJ / producer. He relies dominantly on samples, he mostly repeats them and alters them occasionally to punctuate what is being said in the song. His choruses are usually built of the standard DJ fare – bits of other hip hop songs, old movies and radio programs, but they’re still interesting and well-blended.
Every producer who thinks (s)he’s being progressive for turning hip hop into r & b, or as seems to be equally popular these days, stripping the music right out of right the music (Neptunes, ahem) needs to listen to Stoupe and learn that the structure of hip hop music does not need to be altered one iota. All that needs to happen for hip hop to continue sounding fresh and original is for DJs and producers to look to new sources for their musical inspiration. Stoupe’s international ear takes us into the European church, over to the Middle East, down to the Caribbean and Latin America and over to what sounds like Gotham City. Stoupe’s style is extremely powerful and in your face – sometimes he laces vocals from the sample right over the rap. The style would distract your ear from almost any other rapper – as in Stoupe’s own group, Jedi Mind Tricks – but Canibus’ vocal strength and wide imagination put him on at least even footing with this talented producer.
A must-have album for anyone even slightly interested in lyrics, rapping, DJing, science, literature, religion, creativity, or “organic robots that bleed when they get shot”. Also, it’s 100% “indie”.
----------------------------
Fuck yeah. Now if only my nose would stop bleeding and these pimples by my mouth would go away.
Those Motherfuckers
Well today 3% of Queen's students have imposed a massive $71 per year fee on all Queen's students. This fee is designed to pay for a building I will never see and in fact will hinder my Queen's experience will run for my entire time at Queen's and will result in worse service for me (because buildings will be torn down and such). Knowing this could never pass at referendum they manerveued it into the AGM where a few hundred students showed up (the ones who had class or work couldn't come) and a majority of those rubberstamped the fee.It was such an insanely boring experience. Two hours of my life wasted in blather, motions, motions-on-motions and the such. I had carpeted the campus with anti-fee ads but they were all torn down. The worst of it was that one of my friends was a Yes voter, so we could both just have stayed at home and not effected the outcome.
On the lighter side this is one of the funniest fucking things I've seen on the internet.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Public Service Announcement
Fellow Yark Apers:
Need a compulab on campus? Go to TEL. There's one at the back, if you walk all the way in then turn left, then right past the motion tracking lab. It's tough to find, but there are always computers free, even now when there's an hour lineup at the friggen Parking Lab. Open 8.15 -7.50 weekdays. You can thank me later.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
An Objective Review
So to anyone asking "What's Sam doin' these days?", I answer "Writing this!":
Hidden Gems review
Blind Guardian, “Nightfall in Middle Earth”
By Sam Linton
Honestly, what could be more enjoyable than a power-metal concept album based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Simarillion? That’s right, nothing could. Nothing could be more enjoyable than that.
Blind Guardian’s first North American release is, start to finish, one of the most enjoyable CDs ever released. (Well, not actually start to finish; the final track is just an annoying voiceover, but you can just skip over that.) From the album’s opening track, War of Wrath, which features the din of battle and clang of steel on steel, Nightfall in Middle-Earth sets the stage for a truly epic, truly fantastic, and truly geeky odyssey into adventure. What else is there to say? Great guitar work, great percussion, fantastic vocals (how often do you hear choral singing in metal?) and more standout tracks than you can shake a stick at! From the rolling drums leading into The Curse of Feanor , to the subdued piano and high-powered vocals of The Eldar, to the orchestral majesty of Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill) (don’t these tracks just have the best names?), there isn’t a bad song on the entire album. Seriously, whether you prefer your metal very loud or just sort-of loud, there’s something for everyone on this CD. Also, it provides a great alternative to actually reading The Simarillion. I mean, why read over pages of dense and often cryptic prose when you can have it all in the form of a metal album? Sure, the non-musical interludes between songs can get annoying at times, but those’re never longer than 20 seconds.
Basically, there is no way that anyone with a soul could not find this album enjoyable. I defy you to give this a listen without banging your head and throwing up a pair of horns. You will not be able to do it. It’s impossible.
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Now the free beer I'm served at the Mondo party will be served extra delicious.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
This is what passes for an IQ test on the Internet; I shit you not
