New Ratings Systems

Good afternoon fellow LOPers. Its been a while. Too much school has gotten in the way. I will be writing reviews for you, since my mass texts and word-of-mouth skills can only reach so far into the blog-o-sphere.

And in helping you not read a Bill Simmons'-esque 10,000 words on everything (I haven't still quite figured out how to "jump" posts, so they just go on-and-on-and-on) I will try and stick to a straight format that will hopefully get across everything your heart and mind desires when looking to purchase/steal an album, go see a movie, possibly see a band when they pass through the LA area again, eat at a certain restaurant, etc. Heck, I'll even review your mom if you want me to. Just email me ideas for things and I'll do them/find them for your reviewing pleasure.

5 points of interest on each thing, a rating out of ten (with decimals!). So anyone that is pro-whole numbers, get the f*** out. Now, lets kindly (maybe even almost too politely in Brooklyn hipster circles) make our way.

RR's Best Albums of 2009 (Thus Far)

1. Falling Up- Fangs! - Way more experimental and airy than their previous stuff. They started out as an immature but catchy rap rock outfit and have morphed into something much more creative. In this way, they're a lot like the Christian Linkin Park. The songwriting is too powerful. The album is based on a story that the main singer is writing. It takes a few listens to "get", but then you'll love it. Highlights: "Lotus and the Langorous", "Streams of Woe at Acheron", "Goddess of the Dayspring, I".

2. The Prodigy- Invaders Must Die- The title track and leadoff song begins this fast-paced intergalactic, apocalyptic adventure. The energy level doesn't let up until the very end. I'm going to see these guys at the end of the month, and I'm very excited. Highlights: "Invaders Must Die", "Thunder", "Colours".

3. Eminem- Relapse- His flow is unmatched. Other good rappers may have, at best, 3-5 lines in each verse that make you shake your head. Eminem gives you line after line of pure filth and never lets up. That, and he is literally insane. Just listen to Track 4, "Insane" and you'll see what I mean. He's gone from rapping about homophobia and killing his mom on the then-controversial The Marshall Mathers LP to getting raped by his own step father and kidnapping and eating victims Jeffrey Dahmer-style on Relapse. God help us all. Highlights: "3am", "Medicine Ball", "Beautiful".

4. RED- Innocence and Instinct- A powerful collection of mainstream Christian rock songs that are much more questioning than most of the other stuff in the genre. I don't see this style continuing much longer, so this may be the pinnacle for this sort of Tooth & Nail record. Highlights: "Fight Inside", "Mystery of You", "Never Be the Same".

5. MSTRKRFT- Fist of God- They basically tried to commercialize their genre, and they went a little overboard. The beats are almost too good. They get pretty repetitive. That's not to say I won't party to this stuff and techno headbang by myself in my car. Highlights: "Bounce", "Vuvuvu", "Fist of God".

6. Flo Rida- R.O.O.T.S.- Yes, it's over produced. Yes, he cops beats. But it's so infective and fun! Highlights: "Finally Here", "Mind on My Money", "Never".

7. A Love Like Pi- The Atlas and the Oyster- They have their own style. It's melodic electro-pop-rock, but not the annoying, overplayed kind you can find on purevolume's front page every day. It's original and crafty. These guys are going places, but only if they want to. Highlights: "The Oyster", "The Atlas", "Innocent Man".

8. Asher Roth- Asleep in the Bread Aisle- He impressed me with this. When it comes to white rappers, Eminem is for Type A's and crackheads. Asher Roth is for Type B's and potheads. Highlights: "La Di Da", "As I Em", "Lark on My Go-Kart".

9. Silverstein- A Shipwreck in the Sand- They haven't morphed much in their style over their four studio albums, but they have gotten better at what they do. This one is much more powerful. Nobody's gonna say that Silverstein sold out with this one. Highlights: "A Great Fire", "Vices", "I Am the Arsonist".

10. Papa Roach- Metamorphosis- They may tell themselves that they're in it for the music, but they're as label-tailored as it gets. The new Hoobastank album is the same way, but the new Papa Roach actually has some quality tracks. Highlights: "Change or Die", "I Almost Told You That I Loved You", "Had Enough".

I gotta give shout-outs to: Kelly Clarkson- All I Ever Wanted, Holiday Parade- Tickets and Passports, A Day to Remember- Homesick, And Then There Were None- Who Speaks for Planet Earth?, Julien K- Death to Analog.

I'm currently listening to: The Audition- Self-Titled Album, Madina Lake- Attics to Eden, Peaches- I Feel Cream.

I'm looking forward to: Family Force 5, Taking Back Sunday, Marilyn Manson, AFI, Brand New, Linkin Park (hopefully), Chester Bennington (hopefully).

I only have one rose left....

Yes, I have made a desicion on my basketball love of choice. But sadly, I cannot reveal it until the reunion show (and finals are over). Should be fun hijinks! Until then, I'm rooting for this guy...the Jewish Jordan.

Derek Sedam in... The Basketbachelor

Welcome to The Basketbachelor Season 1. Our bachelor, Derek Sedam, has become a depressed wreck after these years of disappointment by his Los Angeles Clippers. After last night's 4th quarter comeback by the Cavs (led by the object of Rather Red's nut-sucking: LeBron James), he has decided enough is enough, and Derek and the Clips have officially broken up. It's all but Facebook official.
So Season 1 begins. Thirteen teams have been chosen from the NBA. They must fulfill, and continue to fulfill, the following requirements (as modeled after Bill Simmons EPL league team-choosing requirements)
1. Avoid "jumping the bandwagon" (Cleveland, Miami, and Boston are out, Orlando barely makes it in)
2. Avoid a team that's too tortured (that would make this exercise pointless... so Sacramento is out)
3. Gravitate towards vacay spots (points for New Orleans and Orlando, detriments for Minnesota and OKC, Detroit is out)
4. Not too many "hooligans" (This is fine because the Blazers are no longer the Jail Blazers)
5. Pay attention to celebrity fans (Freddy Muniz is a Clippers fan, part of the reason for Season 1)
6. Pick a team that might get on TV from time to time. (Points taken away from OKC and Memphis)
Phoenix and the Lakers are already taken. The Warriors and the Sixers are out because they are cock blocks. The Spurs, Mavericks, and the Rockets are ugly and from Texas. So here are the contestants...
The Orlando Magic (led by their sexy big man, Dwight Howard)
The Atlanta Hawks (young and agile... in bed)
The Indiana Pacers (Granger can shoot in my basket anyday)
The New York Knickerbockers (so much potential, and very exciting... wink wink)
The New Jersey Nets (Jay-Z is married to Beyonce, but his Nets are single and looking)
The Toronto Raptors (led by Chris Bosh and his dinosaur-sized manhood)
The Utah Jazz (so good at home, so good in bed)
The Portland Trail Blazers (we all winced when hunk Rudy F. went down)
The New Orleans Hornets (cute Chris Paul looks to steal Derek's heart)
The Denver Nuggets (the addition of Chauncey was like a successful boob job)
The Minnesota Timberwolves (Al Jefferson needs to be nursed back to health)
The Oklahoma City Thunder (they have a reputation of bolting from relationships)
The Memphis Grizzlies (grizzly men... along with USC college sweetheat OJ Mayo)

Let's get it on!

SMC @ Pepp- The Live Blog Returns

7:59- Ok show I might have shown up to the game 20 min late, but traffic people! Its a problem in The Bu. Not to mention the few Fuzgin's I had

8:01- St. Mary's hits another 3. I'm assuming they hit another 3 because they are up 20-9, and if Patty Mills' injury they inserted one Aussy for another in white boy Will Hunter, who just hit the three. I'm Sherlock Holmzin' boys.

8:02- Mychel Thompson is going to the rim early. Maybe it's his 33% shooting, or his 30% shooting in conference, or his 26% shooting after the first 8 games, but trying to take layups seems like a great idea.

8:04- The Waves have now committed 4 straight 20-loss seasons, and the student sections seems to reflect that notion. No chants, no rememberable lines, no nicknames, nothing. They are doing the dice move to much.

8:05- If you have to hold a blue sheet and then yell out opposing players.....you might not be a fan. "HEY, NICE JOB.......#12!! YEAH!! FUCK HIM!"

8:13- SMC has such a balanced offense. Samhan and Simpson average around 27 points and 20 rebounds inside, and with our lack of post presence inside.....Then their guards shoot so well, especially the fellow Patty Aussie's Hunter and Hughes, they have almost what the Orlando Magic have in the inside/outside game. Its an offense on percentages, but when effective, its extrememly hard to stop.

8:15- HALFTIME- 27-20 Saint Mary's...Hasn't really been to exciting. Both teams have been shooting poorly (under 36%) and you don't even want to know from 3 (both under 23%). But has it been a defensive battle. Well, not really, just really poor shooting and a very VERY boring half. SMC has not made themselves the team that they are made out to be, and there is no reason the Waves (ok...Keion Bell and his newfound child) can't go on a tear at home behind a half-ass crowd and win this bad-boy by 1, who knows lets go crazy even 4.

8:31- And we're back...with another week attmept from our student section to upset SMC center Omar Samhan. I believe I said it best before the game when he was going out for shootaround...
"Hey Omar!"
"Yeah my man whats up?"
"Eat a fucking dick."

8:35- Mike Hornbuckle has probably had 1,359 picks set for him in his two year Pepperdine career, and did he pass to the roll once? No, no man that drives a Range passes to the roll. Lets be real.

8:37- Pepperdine gets two stops and two consecutive layups from Corbin and Darby to force a timeout by SMC. 32-36 with 15:28 left.

8:40- The momentum really seems to be shifting right now. Pepperdine so far has made great halftime adjustments, forcing a turnover right before the media timeout, 32-36 with 15 min left to go.

8:47- After a little scoring lowl, Bell hits a jumper from the elbow to cut the SMC lead to 4. Good times!

8:52- The 4th traveling call against SMC, but then they go on a 4-0 fast break-esque run to extend the lead to 8 with 9 left to go.

8:55- SMC's momentum now, Hunter and Hughes are dishing and shooting at will, 34-45 with 8 to go.

8:59- 13 down with 7 to go....its looking more unliklier by the second here in Malibu. The senior play and veteran coaching of SMC is proving too much down the stretch of this second half. Keion is forcing up bad 3-point shots, in turn leading to easy open-spacing offensive sets for the Gaels.

9:05- We finally break our dry spell with a Lorne Jackson jumper, but Simpson and Samhan finally proving too much for us to handle, and this blog is signing off, 38-55 SMC with 4:12 left to play. I know it when I see it.

SMC/Pepperdine Live Blog tonight!

Stay tuned here to LOP for a LIVE Blog (not Blogooo, Goo's new American Idol column coming soon) between Saint Mary's and Pepperdine. The game will be televised on FSN West, but Paul Sunderland, the worst announcer in the history of any form of basketball broadcasting, will be helming the Titanic of a watch tonight.
The Waves are 15-point underGods (see how I flipped that??!?!) tonight, so hopefully that creppy sailor on the left with Balto can find the strength to keep us from crapping in Keion Bell's daughter's crib.

Rather Red's Back

Pepperdine/Gonzaga Live Blog

6:12- Gonzaga has gone out to a 12-0 to start the game and this is just getting out of hand. Like shooting fish in a very, very tiny barrell.

6:14- The Zags have taken a comaning lead in the game, thanks to the inside-outside of Heytvelt and Matt Bouldin. The Waves have no chance as Austin Daye made it 15-0.

6:18- My boy Mychel Thompson makes a bucket to make it 2-17, with 13:39 left in the first half. Nothing has gone well with the Thompson family, as his dad Mychal just got cut from his radio show

6:21- Pepperdine finally showing that they have more life than Brett Michaels ladies tits, quick scores have the game at 1/4 of what it is (forgive my math) after Dane Suttle hits a three with 11:25 remaining to keep the score somewhat close at 10-21

7:05- 2nd half has started, the D-League chants for Heytvelt have begun. Yes. Oh ,and the "Yes, We Can" for the 'Dine.


6:51:- Gonzaga didn't nesessarily "pullout" of this game, yet. The beatdown that we have recieved the last three years has been a lot more than what we have revcieved today. The Zags have done a great job spreading and attacking our zone, as well as constricitng us the first half of the first half (too much?). There is no doubt in anyone's mind that they are a top team in the nation, and they are proving it.

The question is, can Pepperdine prove them wrong?


6:26- Gus Clardy comes into the game. Yeah, its that bad.

6:32- Things are starting to go Pepperidne's way, reserve center for the Zags Will Foster mised a dunk and Keion Bell just drew an offensive foul with 7 min remaining in the first half. My god this has gone slowly.

6:38- The crowd has ever-so filled out, thanks to Los Angeles traffic, and we are looking at about 80% capacity. The game has slowly turned into a turnover crowd, with 3 back-to-back turnovers. Daye just made a tough layup for the And-1. Does Pepperdine have a chance. As much as a chance of you betting on the Arizona Cardinals a month before the season started to make the Superbowl.

6:42- So has the 'Dine been succesful in destroying my horrible bet against them. Well, yes. I took the spread. I'm not gonna lie. They have the 3 points at home that I thought they weren't going to. The spread is officially 27 tonight, and my faithful Waves are cheating on me my nine almost at the half. They are playing somewhat well though, considering Gonzaga is (what I think) a great tournament team.

6:48- Keion Bell hits a tough jumper in the lane and suddenly we are somehow down 11. I BET ON GONZAGA. Jesus. Why do i constantly dissaprove Jesus?!??!

6:55- The first half! Well, so far, so good...in my sports book. Look, we knew we weren't going to beat the Zags, but at the same time we hope for something competitive. The Waves have done a great job staying in this game, as opposed to the Saint Mary's game which we essentially over by the 16-1 run SMC had to start the game with.

We are down 19, there is no doubt, but once again, I will make sure. We cover the spread, I will rage.
Half-time score- 45-26.

It's really been Keion and Mychel keeping us in this game on O and D. Once again we have more turnovers than assists, and I think the only chance we have at winning a game is if we change that stat to the positive.

7:09- We are only down by nine. Let me say that again, WE ARE ONLY DOWN BY NINE. Hard to believe, but Keion and the greatest name to say in sports, Mike Hornbuckle, have gone on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to nine, 34-45 (now 11, 34-48), and the Waves might MIGHT have some life in them. High tide anyone?

7:13- Only down by 14, the Waves need to get a stop every time down the court.

7:18- The game has gotten signifigantly quicker, as both teams are running and gunnin' up and down the court to make everyone in the Fieldhouse excited. Lets put it this way, I BET ON GONZAGA TO COVER 27 POINTS. I will except my defeat, its worth the $10 a threw on the game.

7:21- A blue shirt with a blue tie Asbury? Really?

7:23- The rebounding for the Waves has just become a "who can tip better" matchup. The Waves are never rebounding solidly, just tipping to each other, I and fully believe that is causing the margin of score, somewhat.

7:27- answer for answer, the Zags have been step for step, (another close analogy here) and are just plain better, apparently not enough to cover my $10.

7:33- 7:59 remaing in the 2nd half, and once again I am losing $10, becuase of the spread. Although I am very VERY excited the girl found the gift check on the floor during a media timeout. SUPER EZxcited!.

I just tried to talk to an ESPN Magazine reporter and he really wasn't as excited as the former ones to be here at the Fieldhouse. I wonder why? Maybe because this game hasn't been exciting since 2003?

7:35- We get some help form Micah Downs on a tip-in, but then he hits a jumper ten seconds later to totally redeem himself (as opposed to 40 mpg on this hog). He still got a girl preggers in WA, I know this.

7:40- Micah realizes that he has to tend to his bench warmer duties, something he needs to get used to in the NBA, as Taylor Darby shoots a 1-and-1 to once again KILL MY BET.F!.

7:45- This has been by far the most competitive game I have seen the Waves play against Gonzaga. To say that I have hope for the future is like saying the Yankees will sign someone for another $100 million contract in the next 5 years. I have hope for the cheerleading squad, the events, the new Fieldhouse to be filled with people. YES WE CAN!

7:49- 63-78, there goes my bet.

7:53- Final score: 69-83. The Waves kept it close throughout the game. I think this is a stepping stone that they can build on to at least keep their spirits high with this "loss," considering a loss was expected to be in the range of 30 points.

Bloc Pary- So Here We Are

If you're staying in like me tonight -- whether it's because your car can't withstand the 70mph winds outside, you didn't real feel like flying or the Clippers just keep your spirits down yet again (you know what my case would be), a classic 2005 song has reminded me, without getting all nostalgic, about why we do stay in sometimes on a weekend.

We reflect.

We all need time to ourselves. Check emails, read something non-school related, etc.

Brit dance-rockers Bloc Party came onto the American scene with this song in Saturn and Ford ads in the late '05. I think the music video is just as important as the song itself, because they both play off one another in a "above the clouds, yet down on the leaves" kind of way. "So Here We Are" is one of the finest ballads in the punk-dance-rock revolution that we have experienced in the past few years.

It sings of love. Just love. Whether it be of friends, long lost or up-and-coming. Sometimes it's all we need.

Or you could just watch "Cocktail" like I did, and watch Cruise just ball it up on-screen.

Animal Collective- Merritweather Post Pavillion

To most in the mainsteam, Animal Collective has been written off as a freak-folk band. I sometimes tend to agree. For every beautiful peace of music they put together, there is abrupt noise, instrument thrashing, 10-minute pieces of one guitar chord. Then came Noah Lennox's (aka Panda Bear) Person Pitch, Pitchfork's best album of 2007.

Released shortly after AC's 7th studio album, Strawberry Jam (itself a disjointed effort of beauty and freak-noise), Panda Bear's new take on Beach Boy's-era Pet Sounds was a crash course in minimilast electronics and Brain Wilson-esque voice inflections, grooves and hymns. From that success grew Lennox as the head of the now 3-member Animal Collective (they have a "open door policy" that has seen 4th member "Deakin" come and go, more go than come), and I knew he would take control over the band of guiaritst/vocalist Avery Tare.

Soon, AC was playing Person Pitch songs in their live sets, and I knew their next and highly-anticipated album would be one closer to Panda Bear's style than anything else. And much like Radiohead's latest release, In Rainbows, much, if not all the material is road-tested for some time, letting them tweak, provoke, and inspire themselves to finally lay down the tracks on record.


Juding from the initial reviews, songs, and my first listen to the album last night, this is by far their biggest "pop" record to date, meaning almost everyone, AC fans or their most experimental work, to the people who haven't heard them yet, will be able to listen along. The two intial tracks that will take everyone by surprise are both Panda Bear songs, "My Girls" and "Brother Sport." Both have amazing vocal harmonies and danceable beats, courtesty of Geologist. "Girls" pairs Tare and Panda Bear sing-songing along above the synth and bass heavy, almost M.I.A.-like beat, while "Brother Sport," a live staple for over two years, finally gets the right treatment, recorded to perfection over a quick snare and several loops and sample throughout the track.

Brother Sport (live)

My Girls (from the album)


This is a dance record, no doubt. It is a cullmination of all the good things AC does so well. They have finally put aside their differences and their "art for art's sake" style of freak-folk to make their first perfect album.
The album title comes from the Frank Ghery designed concert venue in the Baltimore suburban woods, where the three attended concert in there youth. They will have no trouble at all playing these songs on a cool, clear summer night.

Spin Article on the band

Myspace

(Ed. note: Full album review will come in Pepperdine's newspaper next week and be posted on this site.)

Empire of the Sun- Walking on a Dream

Its always great to be in college. On one hand, you have your times and experiences at base camp, your campus. Then eventually, everyone goes their separate ways throughout college. Some study abroad. Some do summer internships in far off places. Some even follow their significant other, tail between their legs, to wherever that leads them (usually to a demented twist of relationship Facebook status).

Lucky for us, every brings their stories, cultural learning's, and music along with them. Now I'm not saying this post is going to change your life (please keep reading even after I said that), but this is one of those fortunate passings that has graced the blog today.

A friend who is studying in the land down under, where the toilets flush the wrong way and its full time summer break there right now, sent me the "Aussie MGMT" as he calls them. Empire of the Sun, taken after the outstanding novel, and Steven Speilberg adaptation (starring a very young Christian Bale) is like the MGMT in many ways.

For one, they take the psychedelics in their music waaay to seriously, inside and out of the music. Their theatrics, storylines, and background just oooze decadence and indulgence on themselves. But, at the same time, their music is a breath of fresh air. The snappy hooks, beats, and falsetto vocals breath light. Their promo posters and look are a cross between Star Wars and Captain EO, and their sound and lyrics isn't much different. Like MGMT, they look how they sound.

Their debut, Walking on a Dream, is also the title track and debut single, which is burning up the Australian Charts, clubs, bars, parties, etc. Like most dance/indie artists, it has taken some time to infiltrate the main-scene, thus of course finally coming across the Pacific to yours truly.

Is it as big as their epic space-filled posters, makeup and music videos (shot in Shanghai)? No, but it will make you dance in your underwear.

Empire of the Sun (Official Website)