I almost wish Teresa was a member of a minority, so we could possibly participate in "race-mixing" by marriage.

Today is the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I wish I knew more about King. Everything I know can probably be summarized in a few sentences. I won't look any of this stuff up because I'm really lazy.

King led SCLC, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, from the mid-5os onward. He led the Montgomery bus boycott inspired by Rosa Parks, successfully desegregating public transportation in Montgomery.

He was imprisoned in Birmingham after a protest, and responded to a letter by white ministers in Birmingham's paper criticizing his methods and aims. This famous "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" established the goals of the nonviolent resistance movement.

Under his direction, the SCLC--along with the more radical SNCC, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee--rose to the front of the civil rights movement. King quickly became a celebrity and an icon of equality.

He was watched by the FBI as a suspected Communist, and did in fact organize meetings with various organizations to use the nonviolent method to improve economic justice. He organized a march on Washington, D.C. to draw attention to the civil rights struggle.

Then, in 1968, he was shot in a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray was found two months later and convicted of the crime, although (okay I did use Wikipedia for this) Ray recanted a confession and attempted to withdraw a guilty plea after his trial.

His lawyer recommended pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty (instead, Ray received a 99-year sentence), but Ray later fired his lawyer and tried to have the trial he passed up by pleading guilty.

He never got it, and died in prison. That's how we treat people who won't stick with their confessions, I suppose.

So why the history lesson? I think Martin Luther King is probably one of the most admirable, respectable, impressive and great human beings in history. That's why I was a little hurt when I found a flyer about him on the lawn in front of our house today.

Let me reproduce the front in its entirety:

MLK Jr.'s DREAM IS AMERICA'S NIGHTMARE!

King was a member of many communist organizations!
King was a known womanizer!
King promoted race-mixing!
Your children are made to think that King is a great hero!

ABOLISH THE COMMUNIST KING HOLIDAY!

Mystic Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
National Office
P.O. Box 0001
Dayton, OH 45434
www.mysticknights.org

Not much to add to that, really. The back is an immense essay titled "THE SHOCKING FACTS" that really didn't shock me much. King hung out with some people connected to the American Communist Party because he was interested in economic justice. Oh dear.

What makes me laugh a little now is the part toward the beginning of the back. "King is the only American born individual that has a national holiday. Not one of our founding fathers--not Washington, not Adams, not Franklin not even Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of Independence is honored with a holiday."

Forget the bad punctuation. I mean, laugh at it, then forget it.

Okay. They're suggesting King doesn't deserve a holiday in part because he was a womanizer who promoted the ever-dangerous "race-mixing." Yet they recommend these four men--racist slaveowner, racist slaveowner, racist slaveowner, racist slave-fucker--have their own holidays.

I guess in my mind, womanizing is just a little more acceptable than owning slaves. That might be why I have a problem with it.

Who knows? Maybe if Washington had his own holiday, the KKK would protest that a slaveowner had a holiday for himself. I'm sure, as fair-minded individuals, they would protest.

What bothers me the most about this flyer is the first headline. "MLK Jr.'s DREAM IS AMERICA'S NIGHTMARE!"

The "I Have a Dream" speech might be the most wonderful thing anyone said publicly in the 20th century. It's inspiring and glorious. It makes me nearly believe in God.

It's not much of a surprise that the KKK would hate it, though. It basically describes a world without people like them.

Oh, well. I have often thought I would be a big fan of "AMERICA'S NIGHTMARE," if I could just figure out what "AMERICA'S NIGHTMARE" might be. Well, I've found it, apparently, and I must say it's even better than I thought.

Anyway, I won't recommend for or against writing to the KKK or going to their website. They're beyond convincing. Of course, the "how" and "why" of them being beyond convincing is debatable, but whatever.

One more thing about the flyer: I don't know if "National Office" means the KKK's nationwide office is in Dayton. I guess it does mean that. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker fuck fuck.

That's how my MLK Day was. I loved the man and he would probably scream and cry if he saw how little people care about what he said and did.

I will review the Flyer News, and I will review myself, but I think I must review a book first.

It's a book of short stories by Dave Eggers. If you recognize the name, it might be because I reviewed his A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius as my first review.

This book is called How We Are Hungry and I'lll save my thoughts on it until the review. But I can't wait.

So bye now.

Love,

Steve

Please! Contact me via CELLULAR TELEPHONE!

Jason has returned.

For those who don't know, Jason Kramb met a girl in Arkansas while he was doing research over the summer. Her name is Lucija and she's from Montenegro.

So he went to see her and her family in Montenegro over Christmas break. He flew there the week after school ended, and came back a few days after school started. He has to make up everything he missed, which I guess is more than you might expect of the beginning of the semester.

We (the rest of the house) were speculating that he would come back 1. engaged or 2. an expectant daddy (or, I guess, 3. both) but he says no.

Anyway, I like Lucija. She was here briefly last semester and it was fun.

But she makes him use his cell phone. And this is unforgivable.

See, when we started living together sophomore year, exactly one of us had a cell phone.

Tony: no
Sam: no
Steve: no
Jason: no
Mikey: no
Beard: yes.

Then during the summer between sophomore year and this year, our cell phone ownership went up (and, I suspect, our IQs plummeted).

Tony: no
Sam: no
Steve: no
Jason: yes
Mikey: yes
Beard: yes.

And after this Christmas, when I got one?

Tony: no
Sam: no
Steve: yes
Jason: you
Mikey: get
Beard: it.

What I'm trying to say is, last summer saw a bit of a change for J. M. Kramb. Lucija and cell phone are all it takes, I guess.

He's on it a lot. I mean a lot. Text messaging, calling, getting calls, gazing at it, whatever.

I understand the need to communicate. It doesn't even bother me that it's always the same person (and she isn't from America). That's fine.

The problem is that you really can't have something to say to the same person for three or four hours in a day. Christ, I can't entertain myself three to four hours a day. I don't know how they manage it.

Sometimes it got pretty bad. I mean, this might sound like pathetic whining, but the boy is just not the same. I can't enjoy shitty anime or Fox News with him while he's on the phone. It's like we've lost a family member. To cell phone.

Now he and I are in separate rooms, so I don't know how much he'll be using it. But I'm going to guess "too much."

"Fine," you say. "If you're a brilliant genius, how should people use cell phones?"

Well, they should almost never use them. Let me ask you: what would Jason and Lucija have done 30 years ago? Or 100 years ago?

They would've gone without talking to each other for a few minutes. They would have managed. So would you, girl who calls her friend across campus. So would you, guy who has the "I'm coming home now, I'll see you in a minute" conversations after every class.

Cell phones are nice for emergencies. They're nice--in moderation--for a case like Jason's, because it would be difficult to talk to Lucija in Arkansas or Montenegro any other way. They should not be used in place of just a little patience and some face-to-face conversation. They should not be permanent fixtures on the side of your head, like some technological cancer.

Cell phones are not making life easier. They're condemning you to meaningless, useless chatter in place of actual thought.

On the other hand, look where "actual thought" leads someone like me.

And as a final note, I'm not one of those people who thinks cell phones cause the death of society. First, I never thought society was exactly alive and well. Second, I don't confuse "cell phones" and "capitalism."

Okay, I'm done with that shit.

In other news, I watched about half of the fantastic film You Got Served with Beard, Jason and Tony the other day. We almost changed our idea from rap battles in our basement to dance battles on Woodland Avenue with cardboard on the streets. But we thought it was unlikely we could get Steve Harvey here.

He said "It's on!" during the movie. It was great.

And I guess that's about all. Please post a comment and let me know what I should review next. I'm leaning toward maybe a review of an issue of Flyer News. That would be funny to the 20 of us that read Flyer News.

Love,

Steve

PRETTY SOON WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SAY THE WORD CHRISTMAS AT ALL

Okay here we are. Second semester.

Which, by the way, is:

SOC 343 Mass Communication and Modern Society MWF 10-10:50
SCI 240 Some immense title that means "Biology" MWF 1-1:50
ENG 480 Tutoring class W 3-3:50
ENG 476 Composition Theory TTh 4:30-5:45
ENG 4something something Thesis Whenever I want

What I'm trying to say is, it's really really easy.

The letter to Vonnegut's editor is finished. This weekend I'm going to print it, then mail it Monday or Tuesday. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.

So: Christmas break. It was average. I got a cell phone. Shut up.

My brother, my dad, and I--along with about nine other guys from high school--went up to Detroit to see Akron U lose to Memphis in the Motor City Bowl. Then we went to Windsor, Ontario, and played Texas Hold'em in Casino Windsor. We all lost quick, but it was pretty fun.

I got kind of tired of this "attack on Christmas" bull shit. First, it's not "illegal" to say it, as a painfully bad editorial in the Flyer News seemed to suggest. It's slowly being phased out at retailers and other semi-public private places. This is absolutely natural. After all, in America, we only have one God, but it $ure isn't Yahweh. So conservatives: settle down. You're still getting your way constantly. If someone doesn't wish you Merry Christmas, it's just because they're serving the only God they ¢an.

In somewhat related, hilarious news, look at this wonderful CNN article. It makes me giggle. If the Catholic Church--and, by extension, I guess every religion--is kicked out of Italy, then I don't know what. I guess that would make conservatives right about the whole "Old Europe" thing. Sort of makes "Happy Holidays" look like "Praise Jesus."

Okay that's all the time I have. I have a Flyer News article to write.

New letter to Vonnegut's publisher

So it's just about the end of finals week. Thrilling.

It's Thursday, and I just had my first two exams today. Early British Lit, then Shakespeare. Dominated both. No problem.

Except that once or twice in my essays I brought in a new idea in the last paragraph. Not always good. But still, they went well.

I'm taking a minute out from a bad philosophy paper to post this. I figured I should since Christmas break is coming up, and I won't be around for a few weeks.

I might post from my parents' house, I guess. We'll see.

Here's the latest on life:

I have a new letter to Vonnegut's publisher. It appears at the end of the post. Let me know what you think. I really tried to make it easier to read. I took Paul Storti's recommendation to heart--at least, partially--and made it as attention-getting as I could. Well, okay, not as attention-getting as I could, but much more than before.

Next semester I'm taking 13 credit hours, and 3 of those are for the thesis, meaning no class time. So give me suggestions on what to do with my time.

I haven't done any Christmas shopping. Except I bought a gift for Teresa on the Internet. I'm lazy and shameful.

I believe that's all. Might not see you until early January.

Love,

Steve


THE LETTER TO VONNEGUT'S PUBLISHER:


Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou com’st in such a questionable shape
That I will speak to thee.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet Act I, Scene 4.

Dear Sir or Madam:

The University of Dayton will offer the mini-course “Themes in the Novels of Kurt Vonnegut” next fall. In it, students will read three to five of Mr. Vonnegut’s novels and discuss the common themes, character motivations, and meanings.

I, an undergraduate English major, will teach the course. I chose to teach this course to fulfill my required undergraduate thesis, and it is a great joy to spread the word of my favorite author.

I have all of the research I could find on Mr. Vonnegut’s work—Jerome Klinkowitz, of course; Donald E. Morse’s The Novels of Kurt Vonnegut; Stanley Schatt’s Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; and others. I have read every novel, and have chosen several—Cat’s Cradle, Mother Night, Slaughterhouse-Five, Breakfast of Champions, and Bluebeard, among others—to focus on in the class.

That isn’t enough for me. I feel I could learn more about Mr. Vonnegut’s novels, themes, and philosophy if I spoke with him in person. For this reason, I am writing to request a personal interview with Mr. Vonnegut at his convenience between March 10 and March 19 or during the summer of 2006 (after May 8).

If Mr. Vonnegut agrees, the University of Dayton Honors Program would fund my trip to New York. I would appreciate any time Mr. Vonnegut could afford to discuss his works and his ideas.

As a member of the American youth, Mr. Vonnegut’s traditional audience, I firmly believe I am in the best position to respond to Robert Sterling Wilson’s question, “Who’s gonna pick up the torch when everybody’s dead?” I think an interview with Mr. Vonnegut would provide great help in this endeavor.

Thank you,

Steve Weishampel

It's been far too long.

Okay, I know it's been a while since I've posted.

What have you missed?

Nothing.

I get home Saturday, December 17. Come over.

I just watched the movie version of Mother Night, which is of course a Kurt Vonnegut novel. It was really really good. I never cared for Nick Nolte, but he was an awesome Campbell. John Goodman was Frank Wirtanen, the Blue Fairy Godmother. And they changed very little, which I generally like to see in movie versions of books.

Vonnegut had a cameo as a face in the crowd. If anyone else knows Mother Night, it was in the scene where Campbell just stops and stands still on a city sidewalk. A bunch of different people walked by him, with several different faces in the camera for several seconds, and Vonnegut was one of them.

But I don't think the movie will make the class. Not quite.

I don't have any exams until Thursday. Thursday I have two exams and a paper due, and Friday I have a test.

I don't really have anything else to say.

Next up for the blog is definitely that review of Jason's cell phone. I don't think he reads the blog, but that doesn't really change things. He hit a new low that Tony told me about this weekend, so I'll have to share that with you.

Auf wiedersehen.

The letter to Vonnegut's editor, part I

So I won't bother with the back story.

I've started the letter to Vonnegut's editor.

Here it is. I don't think I'm going to mention to him that I plan to check my sources on this one. I'll know for certain whether he was convicted of disorderly conduct, dammit.

Dear Sir or Madam:

As a member of the Berry Scholars program at the University of Dayton, I am required to present a thesis project during my senior year. These are designed to engage the undergraduate student with the outside world and expand his or her horizons. Generally, the theses are research reports, but creative variations such as works of art, short stories, and films are encouraged.

My admiration of the work of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., led me to the idea of teaching a mini-course at the University that will focus on his works. My current plan is to hold classes once a week, during which students will engage in discussion about Mr. Vonnegut’s novels. Ideally, the class will read four of his books, most likely his works of fiction, throughout the year, and discuss the themes and character models present in the novels. Most likely, the novels will be Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat’s Cradle, Mother Night, and either Bluebeard or Breakfast of Champions. I have read all of his novels, however, and I am still considering his other works.

I feel that I am presented with a unique opportunity as an undergraduate. The chance to share my favorite author with others is very exciting. However, I believe I have an equally thrilling opportunity before me: it was recommended to me by the director of the scholars program that I travel to New York to interview Mr. Vonnegut in preparation for the course. The director, Associate Professor Steven P. Dandaneau, Ph.D., suggested that the experience of speaking with Mr. Vonnegut about his works, his biography, and other topics could prepare me for teaching his works—as well as preparing me for the rest of my life, I expect. As a member of Mr. Vonnegut’s traditional audience, American youth, I would have a unique opportunity to find out what he believes the youth of America are capable of, what is important to them, what should be important to them, and other concepts related to his novels.



The sucking up is to come later, I assure you.

Give me comments. Also, tell me what to write about next. But mostly give me comments.

Love,
Steve

Quick review: Hooray the Constantines!

I suppose my reviews of albums can be pretty long. I mean, I hate short reviews in newspapers and stuff. They might as well just give a grade, for how brief the explanations can be.

But here's a short one, for Brett.


Album: Tournament of Hearts

Artist: The Constantines

Labels: SubPop, Three Gut Records


Okay, here's The Constantines. They're Canadian. They released Shine a Light, their first album, to extreme critical acclaim. And from what I've read on the internets, Tournament of Hearts is considered a failure on the order of the second two Matrix movies.

But I disagree.

This is an extremely solid album. Most criticism says it's slow, it's boring, and it doesn't rock enough, but I would say it's really pretty. A lot of the songs are rhythm-based, with one thumping pattern holding together the whole song (See "Draw Us Lines," the opener, as well as "Love in Fear").

I tried as hard as I could to find the lyrics to Tournament of Hearts on the internet, but I couldn't. The lyrics I can understand are truly great, though. Extremely melancholy, reflective, and beautiful.

The bass and drums hold down the rhythms of each song, providing a perfect background for the raspy, Bruce Springsteen-like vocals. Meanwhile, the guitars amble around the mix, sometimes rocking, mostly experimenting or off on their own. Again, "Love in Fear" is a perfect example.

One of the problems I have with The Constantines is their song titles. Let's see...of the 10 songs on Tournament of Hearts, all 10 of them have titles that mirror the chorus of the song. I guess that's okay, but I prefer the Thunderbirds Are Now!/At the Drive-In style of choosing names that don't appear in the song.

Something I love about the songs, though, is the tightness between the drums and bass. This is especially evident in "Love in Fear" and "Thieves," in which drums and bass form such a great, close-together rhythm section that it's easy to forget how simple the songs are.

And they really are simple. Take "Soon Enough," the wonderfully heartfelt ballad-like reflection on aging. Or "Hotline Operator," a peppy, almost bouncy song about who knows what. Both are really the same basic thing throughout, but they keep the listener's attention through interesting variations.

In the end, I would have to say Tournament of Hearts is absolutely worth a listen. It's slightly morose, melancholy and contemplative, but it's still very interesting to listen to. It might be the most widely appealing, accessible music I recommend.

Grade: B+.

Track listing:

1. Draw Us Lines
2. Hotline Operator
3. Love in Fear
4. Lizavetta
5. Soon Enough
6. Working Full-Time
7. Good Nurse
8. Thieves
9. Conductor
10. Windy Road

Constantines official site

SubPop's Tournament of Hearts site

Buy Tournament of Hearts at Amazon.com

I put off the review of Jason's cell phone. But I present a review of ATDI.

Hey there campers!

Thanksgiving was nice. I hate the idea of Thanksgiving. We set aside one day of thanks--fine. I think it should be more than one day, but whatever. But then, what do we do on that day? ("We" of course are Americans, like it or not.)
WE EAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN!!!!
Thanks, Third World, for all the cheap stuff! This turkey leg's for you!
Thanks, dead soldiers, for all the cheap stuff! I'll have a little extra gravy!
Thanks, human rights violations, for all the cheap stuff! I think I WILL have some more pie!

We have a lot to be thankful for, but that's about the shittiest way of expressing it that I can conceive. It's like a cruel joke on the less fortunate.

So.

I wanted to review Jason's cell phone usage. But I've been thinking about it a little, and I can't come up with more than a sentence. I'll keep that sentence to myself, however, since I'm about to meet Lucija tomorrow, and I don't want to risk pissing her off. So I'll save it.

Instead, I want to tell you about this neat band.


Album: In/Casino/Out

Artist: At the Drive-In

Label: Fearless Records






Yes, At the Drive-In. From El Paso, Texas, this five-member band rocked ridiculously hard through the middle and late 1990s, only to break up after the album that followed In/Casino/Out, which was called Relationship of Command. The members of ATDI went on to form the current bands Sparta and The Mars Volta. Even though TMV is incredible, I would still pay an unreasonable amount (read: about $50) for an At the Drive-In reunion.

They're great.

So let me start with the downside of ATDI. Some people don't care for Cedric Bixler's voice. He's the singer for both At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta. In ATDI, you can expect to find shout/screaming, which I know turns some people off immediately. It's a shame, too, because Linkin Park shout/screaming is insulting, ignorant and laughable, while I think Bixler's is defiant, frustrated and sad. Whatever, some people don't want to hear that. I love it.

As for the rest of the band, holy shit. Guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez just goes off and plays whatever the fuck he wants to sometimes. It's brilliant. Meanwhile, the other guitarist, Jim Ward, now the singer and guitarist of Sparta, holds down the "actual" guitar parts and keeps the songs tight. Then there's Paul Hinojos (right), the bassist for ATDI, who currently plays guitar for Sparta. He's humorously tall and awkward-looking in live footage of ATDI, but he was pretty good. The bass serves to carry songs along and doesn't try anything too fancy. The drummer is Tony Hajjar, a big badass. He's from Lebanon and he's nearly as good as The Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore.

So ATDI is amazing, pretty much. And In/Casino/Out might be their best album. It's their second full-length, I believe, after the glorious Acrobatic Tenement, which was recorded all in one session to capture the "live" feel. In/Casino/Out is a little more organized and a lot tighter than Tenement. I think every song on it is incredible.

One last warning about the band: don't bother figuring out the lyrics. I know what three or four of the songs on In/Casino/Out are about, which is really pretty good for ATDI. Bixler tends to write lyrics that are completely symbolic or referential, meaning the words don't always make sense unless you know what they stand for (in his slightly drugged mind). Trying to figure the lyrics out can be fun, but is ultimately not very important to the songs. For some reason, this frustrates some people, but I like it.

So. Here it is.

Alpha Centauri: A really good opener. Not too flashy or crazy, but upbeat and tight. Bixler pulls off some hilariously confusing lyrics: "Matadors chase the bull in a china shop," "Widows: an antique replacement, a briefcase filled with Mace." Hahahahahahaha whatever, man.

As for the music, they don't try anything too crazy. At 2:00 they throw in a bridge that features a little random note selection from Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. I think this song is really cool.

Chanbara: Brad Long's favorite ATDI song, he once told me. Bongos at the start, along with a really badass drumbeat. If I danced, I would want to dance to this.

Then Bixler marches in, and it's harder to understand than ever. Both the first and second verses end with great lines: "A belly-flopped proposal of 'Let's be friends'," and "Oh, dear God, what a tangled web we weave." I think of that line quite a bit. No, I don't know what it means.

More than anything on Acrobatic Tenement, "Chanbara" is driven by the vocals. Imagining this song without the vocals is difficult. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing--a lot of people would say bad because they dislike Bixler's voice--but it's certainly different.

Hulahoop Wounds: Jason Kramb's favorite song by ATDI. The bass and guitar roll through the introduction, and the verses are a pleasantly relaxed change. I nearly understand what this song is about, but not quite.

"Hulahoop Wounds" features the Jim Ward/Omar Rodriguez-Lopez backup vocals that are, somehow, worse and better than Bixler's lead. For about the first 1:30, ATDI holds back and "Hulahoop Wounds" is nearly pretty.

Then they tear loose, and it's glorious. I get the feeling Bixler can hardly keep up with the rhythm section. Even when they cool down for the "Hook and sinker!" breakdown, the band can't keep quiet for long.

The chorus also features a really cool syncopation.

Napoleon Solo: HA! I know what this song is about.

It's about a car crash on the road from Austin, TX to New Orleans, that killed two girls who were on their way to see an ATDI show. Sad story.

This song is creepy. I love it. The intro is just frightening, sort of spidery, and Bixler mutters along in a conspiratorial way.

Then the drums and bass enter, and it sounds to me like a song from a musical, maybe, the way, Bixler sings along with the instruments but seems so disconnected from them.

The chorus is insane. It calls to mind the live performances of ATDI I've seen on tape, in which they destroy everything they can.

I pretty much love this song. Probably my favorite part is at 4:09, when the band takes off again and Bixler screams "Strum this broken harp." I think his throat is going to fall apart.

Pickpocket: I nearly forgot about this song. And that says a lot. I suppose even some of my favorite albums must have a forgettable song.

This one flies along, featuring some great crazy lead work from Omar Rodriguez/Lopez. Unfortunately, at some points the song feels sort of phoned in, like they just aren't pounding away as hard as "Napoleon Solo." This is especially evident during the verses.

On the other hand, I really like the chorus. The lyrics are really funny, if you can figure them out. "Breakfast table search team implodes." Hahahahaha.

For Now...We Toast: I know this one too! It's about a prison break!

This is the most relaxed ATDI gets. The verses are nearly pop music.

Don't worry, the chorus isn't. Something about the guitar, drum and vocal interaction in the chorus makes me wish it went on forever.

I don't care much for the bridge, though, which is half-time and drags somewhat. Even Jim Ward backup vocals can't save it for me.

But then they tear into the final extended chorus, and it's a great song too. "Wanted for the crime of the disease that you give," is the message, apparently.

A Devil Among the Tailors: This song, like much of ATDI, I guess, requires a certain mood. Sometimes I listen to it and it's so goddamn slow and boring that I can't make it all the way through. Then other times it's greater than anything ever.

I assume both feelings are equally true.

I do really like the vocals in this song, especially the verses. He just rambles on without pausing, it's cool.

But this song makes you wait. The intro, the pre-chorus, the breakdown...this song is about waiting for something to happen.

On the other hand, Bixler does quote the famous motto of Che Guevara ("Hasta la victoria siempre"), which is cool.

In the end, this song hits its stride, and it's cool. You just have to be patient.

Shaking Hand Incision: Holy hell, the drumming in this song is great.

Straight from the start, Hajjar dominates. I am envious.

This is one of the most exciting songs on the album, I think. It just takes off, and it's hard to keep up. Then it hits a wall, and that's awesome too. I think the pacing of this song is perfect.

One thing I really like about this song is the way Bixler uses the same lines in different ways. "Stitched lip starched in a giggle," "Nothing ever changes except the scenery arrangements," and "In piles of clothing sleep the dead" tie the song together beautifully.

Again, whatever the hell he's talking about, I sure don't know.

Lopsided: Ooh, this might be my favorite.

It's so different. It's relaxed and not frantic. Not until around the end, that is. The pacing is great.

I really like this song. I could go on and on, but it's just so cool. Listen to it.

Hourglass: I might find any song that follows "Lopsided" a little lacking, but I love "Hourglass" all the same.

I've read that Jim Ward does the vocals on this song. I can't really tell, but they're cool.

This song is normal. It's barely ATDI at all. It doesn't really contain any flipping out or insanity. It's sad as hell, and it's wonderful.

I know what this one's about, too. I've heard it's about the Russian space program, from the perspective of a cosmonaut.

"I'm all alone so far up here, and my oxygen's all gone" is a pretty good indication of that.

"A truly distressing realization: I wish I was an astronaut" is also a clue, I would say.

Well, okay, "Hourglass" has a little rocking out. But it works really well.

Transatlantic Foe: I've heard this song is also about the Cold War. Who knows?

It rivals "Shaking Hand Incision" for badass drums. I love this song too. It's unstoppable.

Bixler's vocals are perfect, too. Between the punchy chorus and the melodic verses, he's great.

What I like about this song is how it contains a bunch of different parts that are visited in nearly random order, and only once or twice in the song.

It's a great closer, I think.

Grade: A.

Summary: What I really like about In/Casino/Out, I think, is that none of the songs are formulaic. They're always unpredictable and out-of-control. Bixler's voice is a love-it-or-hate-it sort of thing, and I've never faulted anyone for disliking the vocals. But ATDI is just crazy, unstoppable, and I think they must be admired for that.

Sounds like: well, I guess The Mars Volta would be the easy answer, but that's not even really true. They sound like Pretty Girls Make Graves, I guess. They're described as emo-core in some reviews I've read, but that phrase is pretty meaningless to me. They're just a post-punk rock band.

Track listing:

1. Alpha Centauri
2. Chanbara
3. Hulahoop Wounds
4. Napoleon Solo
5. Pickpocket
6. For Now...We Toast
7. A Devil Among the Tailors
8. Shaking Hand Incision
9. Lopsided
10. Hourglass
11. Transatlantic Foe

At the Drive-In website run by Fearless Records

Buy In/Casino/Out at Amazon.com

Find In/Casino/Out lyrics here

I still hate Shakespeare.

Despite Brother Tuss's best efforts, I can't find it in my heart to give much of a shit about old William Shakespeare. But I do love Macbeth. That play is craaazaayy.

I'm writing to let you know that I really like Ted Leo and the Phramacists.

They make nice music. They occasionally rock, but it's more comparable to slower Saves the Day rather than, say, At the Drive-In. Who I also love.

Now available if you get file from me.

Coming soon: a review of Jason Kramb's cell phone.

<3

I return to my blog.

It's been far too long, old friends.

My laptop died, I had to get a new hard drive. That explains the absence.

So listen. I wrote this article for Flyer News about a Marycrest cafeteria worker getting rocks thrown at her one morning in October. She said three guys attacked her and called her "nigger" on her way to work.

After the article came out, UD Public Safety released the incident report relating to the incident. This contained the suspects' names and a brief account of the event. I was assigned a follow-up article now that we had suspects' names.

I interviewed two of them and wrote a story that basically described things from their point of view. Their stories differed greatly from the victim's. They claimed that they didn't even see her that morning. The two I talked to said that two of them--one I was interviewing and one I was not--had been found not guilty in Dayton Municipal Court. I wrote this in my article, and my publisher chose it for the headline.

In my article, editors and I decided not to print any names, since they had been found not guilty. One of the students had granted an interview on condition of anonymity, so that worked out well.

Then I get emails from UD's attorney and my editor-in-chief. Turns out they were found guilty in court, which is a little different from not guilty. Granted, assault charges were withdrawn, but the two who'd had their trials had been found guilty of disorderly conduct.

This information was available on the Dayton Municipal Court website, but I didn't think to check it. Jokes 'n.

So my editor wrote a clarification/correction that included all three names. Including the kid who didn't want his name in the paper. Hahahahahahahahaha SHOULDN'T HAVE LIED, FOOL!!!!

Here:

My first article

My second article

Trial results - search criminal results by defendant name, then search "Michael Fields," "Daniel Mingee," and Michael Synck" (which is a misspelling of Synek, and he's the one who hasn't had his trial yet)

My editor's correction

What fun life is.

This blog just might come to life eventually. We shall see.