JakeGuidry.com

Elimination Night Book Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:25:00 +0000

January 14, 2013

Back in August 2012 I got a freelance gig for Amazon Publishing. The gig was writing a script for a book trailer for Elimination Night, an anonymously written (fictional) tell-all heavily based on American Idol. It was the first script I'd ever (seriously) written, and it was for a subject I personally know very little about. Needless to say, it was a challenge. The book was released last week and the trailer has since been shown on several celebrity gossip sites, including TMZ. You can watch the trailer below.

Blaireau Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:34:00 +0000

October 10, 2012

A couple weeks back I did a mix for Blaireau, a collective of DJs and producers based in Chicago, Nashville, and L.A. It's a bit on the short side at just under thirty-five minutes, but it's a nice collection of newer bass with a bit of that Southern lean. Have a listen.

Locked

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:55:00 +0000

October 3, 2012

While the Brasstax residency at The Whistler continues on, I've quietly been in the works developing my second residency, which is at my favorite Southside joint, Maria's Community Bar. This second residency, called Locked, focuses on the darker sounds coming predominantly from the UK's bass scene. With Brasstax focusing more on the uptempo and dancey-er side of things, I wanted to have a second place to play more ethereal and eccentric music that mostly doesn't fit in the context of Brasstax. Hence, Locked was born.

This month's Locked is October 16, and all the details can be seen on the fantastic flier that my Brasstax co-host Kyle Stewart designed. Come out and enjoy the vibes, in addition to Maria's extremely well-crafted beer and cocktail lists. If you haven't had a chance to hang at this bar, I highly recommend it. Locked will be a monthly endeavor, and I hope to eventually change to a night with heavier traffic and bring in some good local talent. Stay posted.

The Coffee Table Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 01:00:00 +0000

July 18, 2012

I recently moved to a new apartment and had little furniture to bring along the way. This is both stressful and exciting at the same time. Roommates' possessions that I relied on for so long were all of a sudden gone, yet the idea of crafting a new living space essentially from scratch made things more interesting. No more gaudy floral print armchairs from long-deceased relatives, or a collection of ultra-flimsy lamps bought in the Back To School aisle at Wal-Mart. It's now a clean slate, and the first thing I want to attack is the coffee table.

To me, the coffee table problem is an interesting one when it comes to decorating a living space. It can make or break a living room. It has to be well-designed but not loud, sturdy but not cumbersome, and it has to be completely functional. Simply put: it needs to look good and always be of service. Below are a collection of coffee tables that I think fit the bill.
Mid-century inspired with walnut top
Tux coffee table by cb2
Reclaimed door table with hairpin legs

These are just a few of the ones I've found that are in the general direction I'd like to go. I've developed an interest in hairpin legs, as you can see, and distinguished wood. A lot of reclaimed stuff can look really great and can bridge the gap between other furniture that might be from different eras and thus not mesh well on their own. Hopefully I can get one soon and move on to the next piece, which will likely be a dining table or a credenza.

Smart Mix 08

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:07:00 +0000

June 30, 2012

The good people over at Smart Bar asked me to do a mix for their Smart Mix series. The mix is a little darker for me, and it was definitely a bit more challenging than others I've done. Take a listen and do try to take some time with the other mixes in their series.

Finding The Right Apartment

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 02:49:00 +0000

June 6, 2012

I've lived in Chicago for three years now. I am in the process of searching for what will be my third apartment in the city. When I first moved up, the market was average: prices, while maybe a little high, were still reasonable. More importantly, finding something that fit my needs was relatively easy.

Now the market is very difficult for renters. Prices are up and space is down. Unless, of course, you want to live in an area of the city that lacks the things that most people my age are looking for in a neighborhood: good food, shops, nightlife, etc. If I want that spacious two bedroom with a rehabbed kitchen, chances are I have to compromise proximity to anything worthwhile.

This reality has given yet another reason to make Chicago a stressful place to live and to make a living. Yet, despite things like a terrible renters market, high gas prices, bad traffic, a horrible job market, this city manages to keep me here. It manages to make me want to live here. It's the Chicago factor. For every frustrating job application, for every extra minute standing in traffic due to road work, Chicago makes up for it in its inhabitants that choose to make this place about so much more. For every bad day, there are spectacular nights.

So I plug away and know that it will work out. That Chicago factor.

Mix #17 for Bizzies

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:24:00 +0000

February 16, 2012

I had the opportunity to contribute a mix for Bizzies, a well-established electronic music blog that's based out of Chicago. It's interesting, because I knew of the blog before I even moved up to Chicago (and long before I knew what I was doing behind the digital decks). This particular mix is "bass" music, for all intents and purposes, but it explores more of the North American side, which tends to be more rooted in hip-hop/rap. I hope you take the time to give it a listen; I think there are a lot of unknowns in this mix that have really bright futures.

If you like what you hear, please follow me on Soundcloud. I post mixes as often as possible. And soon you will start seeing original productions.

Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:06:00 +0000

February 1, 2012

It's a fucking shame I don't keep up with this blog. It's a shame in general that I don't write as much. I've long considered writing my best talent, but here I am, barely scraping enough sentences together for a remotely interesting post. And is it even remote?

The whole deal is this: yes, I can write - and I enjoy writing - but the real modus operandi for me is music. Not writing about it, but purveying it. Just recently, a milestone was achieved that entails said purveyance: playing a set at Smart Bar. Yes, I will play Chicago's most historic dance club, and it's yet to sink in.

What it means, who cares. Regardless, it's a huge deal for me and it's a clear checkpoint for my time in Chicago. Bucket lists tend to be corny and obvious, but I've got to be proud of this accomplishment.

Current Music Vibings

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:38:00 +0000

August 9, 2011

It's been about a half year since I shared some music that I'm vibing, save for the pieces I've written for XLR8R and Chicagoist. And as you might have guessed, I don't necessarily have the opportunity to write about everything I like, simply because that's the nature of the beast. But since I've got some free time, I'll go ahead and offer some recommendations, whether or not you're looking for any.

Machinedrum (Planet Mu)

Machinedrum rapidly came onto my radar after a Red Bull event here in Chicago. He was one of the people to play the event, and though I'd heard of him and a few of his tracks, I wasn't a fan, per se. That night showed me what I was missing, and I haven't looked back since. Machinedrum is among those juke revivalists who take the backbone of the genre and give it a refined facelift. While original juke is still highly lauded to this day, it's still a messy genre. You'll often come across tracks that were meant to be devices for footwork battles - and, as such, the tracks didn't necessarily receive the production attention that something meant for listening would. Regardless, juke is a burgeoning scene these days, and Machinedrum is right there in the thick of it. I suggest checking out his latest LP, Room(s).

Lil B (BasedWorld)

I don't think anyone is trying to say Lil B is the best rapper. In fact, he's pretty medicore when it comes to "flow". However, of all the people making hip-hop right now, few convey an actual sense of "realness". Lil B does. After hearing "I'm Paris Hilton", I was convinced the whole thing was a joke, that he was a character making a commentary on the state of hip-hop. And maybe he is. But when he released I'm Gay, I was pleasantly surprised. Aside from some good production, Lil B touches on a lot of different topics that he is struggling with, and you hear that unfold throughout the album. It's as if he's thinking aloud and we get to see him sort through whatever it is that afflicts him. That's refreshing.

Nguzunguzu (Fade To Mind)

Nguzunguzu are apart of the ever-expanding, undefined genre of "bass music". Such a vague term is actually appropriate, given the wealth of influences that comprise it. Bass music, really, encompasses a lot, but the focus here is rhythm: how to mess with it, how to make it interesting, and how to make it the forefront. High-end melodies always seem to be complements and not the main feature, hence the word bass. Nguzunguzu's output consistently explores rhythms, and the result is often heddy. Though they'll probably never make a pop track, Nguzunguzu do just fine with weirded out jungle beats.

The @MayorEmanuel Debate

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:29:00 +0000

March 4, 2011

At this point, I'm sure most people, at least in Chicago, know about the "spoof" Rahm Emanuel Twitter account, @MayorEmanuel. With a couple thousand tweets, and over 42k followers, the account was a commentary on the very important mayoral race in Chicago. It was profane, funny to many, and entirely fictional. Just this Monday, its proprietor, journalism professor Dan Sinker, unveiled himself and it got a lot of people pissed off, notably Jim DeRogatis and Steve Rhodes, respected Chicago journalists.

DeRogatis wrote a post on his blog after hearing the news that Sinker was behind the account. At one point he writes,

"Really, Dan? This one-note joke was your way to demonstrate the power of journalism's new tools and comment on an issue as vitally important as the race for the next mayor of Chicago? Go ahead, stick with the story that it all was just a little joke that grew and grew. In the end, you might as well have endorsed the guy."

   DeRogatis goes on to accuse Sinker of using the @MayorEmanuel account as an act of journalism (I'm assuming due to Sinker's journalism background). His Platonic thinking is pretty annoying here: he's taking a rather unpredictable phenomenon (the success of the account), looking at it retroactively, and applying a narrative that supposedly explains its fruition and status. To say Sinker was attempting to reinvent or even modify journalism with a spoof account is dramatic and naive at the same time. The @MayorEmanuel account's popularity is consequential of so many unpredictable factors, only part of which Sinker had control of. So I think it's foolish of DeRogatis to critically assess it, at least to the extent which he holds Sinker accountable.

   If anything, it seems like displaced anger on DeRo's part for those who let the account dictate how they felt about the real Rahm. It's the Obama effect: allowing non-issue rhetoric to influence you as a voter. Hell, it's how young voters get mobilized (as long as the rhetoric is "cool"). What's cooler than a Twitter account? That's the real shame here, the fact that some people voted based on a spoof account (which is, obviously, why Rahm's people never had it taken down or the name changed).

   Which does open up a new point that DeRo would have had better success tackling: Sinker undoubtedly knew the power he had with this account, but has failed to use that power in a positive, unselfish way (up to this point). That I would agree with DeRo about. But we shouldn't accuse Sinker of trying to reinvent journalism.

   After DeRo's post, Steve Rhodes, of Beachwood Reporter, wrote his own post, in complete agreement. It's his post, however, that seems more appropriately targeted. He writes:

"Sinker merely burnished the myth of a foul-mouthed pragmatist with little patience for pageantry who just wanted to 'get things done' instead of doing what truly effective political satire does: reveal the truths behind the propaganda and manufactured media narratives."

Bravo, Rhodes, you've hit the nail on the head. Sinker garnered a huge audience at least marginally engaged in politics, so why not take that opportunity to do something lasting and meaningful? There has to be a way to creatively and effectively do that. And if the "satire" itself was intended to motivate, I think it failed. It didn't really cause introspection.

That's not to say, however, that the writing wasn't good. I just think a lot of it was lost in the account's followers. And here's an interesting point: I never followed @MayorEmanuel, thus I was only really exposed to the retweets of people I already followed. It was those retweets that made me determine I did not want to follow him because I thought they were rather pointless and over the top. It wasn't until I looked at his full Twitter stream (after the election) that I realized he was writing some pretty good stuff, but it was mostly the pointless stuff getting retweeted. I'm not sure if that's looking too far into it, but it seemed that's mostly what the general public was taking from the account: a bunch of F-bombs.

While it's a little misguided to accuse Sinker of actively attempting to engage in journalism with the account, I think it's valid for Rhodes and DeRo to be pissed, as journalists. I think it's pretty obvious the account was an endorsement of Rahm, as it didn't get to anything truly important. Which, in and of itself, isn't bad, unless, perhaps, you call yourself a journalist. As they've said, he just reinforced Rahm's cool factor at a point where we could have used a more transparent mayoral race. I mean, how many do we suspect actually knew Rahm's platform? Or anyone's for that matter?

Thoughts on Radiohead's The King of Limbs

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 01:49:00 +0000

February 20, 2011

   Radiohead have been around for nearly two decades. Their trajectory, their narrative, is one of the most unpredictable phenomenons in modern music history. In fact, the only thing predictable about Radiohead is that they are unpredictable. Why, then, are there still people yearning for Jonny Greenwood to bust out crunchy riffs a la OK Computer? It's an interesting aspect of Radiohead's fan base: those that have been "grandfathered in" by being astute Bends and OK Computer-era fans, dragged against there will to the current state of what Radiohead is - and eventually loving it. If you're not getting the point, it's that there are/will be a whole lot of people initially unsatisfied with The King of Limbs.

   And I can totally see why. Radiohead is a band that has a Beatles vs. Stones kind of argument within their own discography. Generally speaking, you're either an OK Computer or a Kid A kind of fan. Sure, you love and respect both, but it's one of those two that really grab you. For all intents and purposes, this a Kid A fan's album. It is asymmetrical, void of really any traditional song structures. This is a collection of soundscapes. It's entirely conceivable that this is Radiohead's most alienating work, but let's not forget the initial reaction to Kid A, a now-considered triumph. I, for one, already see it that way.

   The King of Limbs is perhaps the most cohesive album for Radiohead to date. The sound palette remains largely the same, as does the general tone. There's a dreaminess to it, and in many ways, the only reason we're brought to consciousness is Thom's voice. I think it's quite a beautiful album, laced with Thom's current musical influences, the lot of which escape most of Radiohead's fan base. It's truly amazing that this band can keep on being as popular as they do after becoming a vastly different band than when they rose to rock kings in the late '90s.

   I don't know where this fits in the hierarchy of Radiohead albums, but then again, I think there no longer is one. It becomes increasingly difficult to compare any Radiohead album to another, much like one cannot compare, say, Sonic Youth to Four Tet. From OK Computer on, Radiohead has released brilliant after brilliant record. There's not much of a point in quantifying it.

Current Music Infatuations and/or Obsessions

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:47:00 +0000

February 5, 2011

Having finally replaced my laptop after several months (in addition to purchasing a Traktor S4), I've been able to get back to deejaying. It's nice to return to my favorite hobby, but with the extended time away from the craft - and having lost my entire music collection - I'm pretty far behind where I'd like to be. I'm being forced to rapidly rebuild my music collection in hopes of a quick rebound that will lead to gigs in the near future. The rebuilding process has been fun, though, and it's led me to discover a lot of great music over an array of genres. Here are some of the best:

Girl Unit (Night Slugs)

I've been preaching Girl Unit via Twitter since the middle of last year - and I'm sure you're all tired of it - but I truly cannot get enough of him. People have had a hard time labeling the sound, mostly settling for UK Funky. Really, I find his music to be broader than that, as it explores juke, ghetto, rap, dubstep, house, grime and garage. A current staple of my sets.

Oriol (Planet Mu)

I wrote a piece on Oriol in the November issue of XLR8R, and ever since I got the assignment, I've been in love with this guy's sound. He's got some classical education in his background, which really lends to the overall complexity of his jazzy, laid-back electronic music. The entire album Night & Day is really great and I would suggest it to anyone, regardless if they're fans of electronic music. He also just contributed a mix for XLR8R.

Teengirl Fantasy (Merok / True Panther)

Teengirl Fantasy is probably one of the less accessible artists I've been listening to, but their debut LP, 7AM, was one of my favorites of 2010. There's a bunch of R&B and house influence in their tracks, both of which manifest themselves in the above video. The vocal sample is so great.

Adulture

Adulture is a local Chicago producer who I had the opportunity to interview and "commission" (read: unpaid) a mix for Chicagoist. He's a guy deeply connected with his house roots, and his music shows that. I think he's one of the top young producers the city has, and I think it's only a matter of time before he blows up on the dance scene.

xxxy (Fortified Audio)

Xxxy is among the elite in the "futurestep" phenomenon, of which the aforementioned Girl Unit also belongs. Xxxy is more dubstep-focused however, and is more akin to Joy Orbison or even James Blake. Like most producers in his field, xxxy takes powerful vocal samples and infuses them into his dissonant, dark music. I sort of equate him as a dance version of Burial.

There are a lot more artists whom I haven't named, but I wanted to lend these suggestions for those looking to hear some new, fresh music. I hope you enjoy.

Infinite Glitch

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 06:10:00 +0000

January 27, 2011

I was sent an email today from a gentleman outlining his new project, Infinite Glitch. I'm not sure what to make of it quite yet, but here is the brief description he provided:

"Every day an incomprehensible number of new digital media files are uploaded to hosting sites across the internet. Far too many for any one person to consume. Infinite Glitch is a stream-of-conciousness representation of this overwhelming flood of media, its fractured and degraded sounds and images reflecting how little we as an audience are able to retain from this daily barrage.

Infinite Glitch is an automated system that generates an ever-changing audio/video stream from the constantly increasing mass of media files freely available on the web. Source audio and video files are ripped from a variety of popular media hosting sites, torn apart, and recombined using collage and glitch techniques to create an organic, chaotic flood of sensory input."

   This is an interesting project with obvious implications about media, technology, and how much we are "plugged in", so to speak. It's something that echoes a general belief of mine, that we're in a perpetual state of information gathering that doesn't necessarily lead to greater knowledge or a heightened collective consciousness. And as technology gets more and more refined, the speed at which information travels becomes faster, forcing people to take things in short bursts or fragments, thus worsening the situation.

   Ironically, I'm about as plugged in as the next guy, but that's not really the point. Most everybody with the means to do so has an iPhone and a penchant for checking texts, social media, etc. It's more of an issue of how we got here and how we need to reassess day-to-day interaction, both physically and digitally. This ramped up rate of consumption has caused degradation in just about everything, and for me it's notably been music. Distribution techniques have all but killed the format of the album; mashup artists embody the rapid-fire media barrage with literally minute-to-minute snapshots of songs, conditioning listeners to get bored by the prospect of a full-length song or album.

   The effects go on and on, more seriously in politics and general global issues. Everything is a soundbyte or a 140-word-or-less account of complex, broad issues. While these can be great tools, I think the main issue is that we aren't using these tools beyond themselves. I'll never condemn technology, but I think we'd all get something out of stepping back and evaluating how we operate in the world in regards to media and technology.

Up, Out of Obscurity

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 03:33:00 +0000

September 15, 2010

It's been some time since I wrote for the site. That's not fair on a couple fronts, one being that I haven't been able to flesh out some ideas on a space that was meant for it, and I am wasting a beautifully designed site that my friend Randy at Sad Bird worked so hard to make great. Well, with a bit of resolve, I'm deciding to write more frequently now, mostly stuff that doesn't work/fit on the other outlets I write for (so, essentially, anything outside of music, although I reserve the right to make exceptions). I don't have any particular revelations to share with at the moment, other than the job hunt is still in progress, frustratingly enough. I've been making a lot of headway, though, within the local music scene. I've been meeting some cool, great people that will hopefully lead to some new friends and possibly career opportunities. 'Cause dudes know that this working for the University shit ain't cuttin' it.

More shit in the future. Keep on the look out.

Top 10 Entertainment of the '00s (Pt. 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:40:00 +0000

January 1, 2010

Part 1 of the Top 10 Entertainment of the '00s was posted yesterday and featured a bit of everything. Today, Part 2 concludes the Top 10 and is about as varied as the Part 1, although it's probably a bit more predictable. Enjoy the list, and Happy New Year!

5. The Dark Knight
When Christopher Nolan took over the Batman franchise, the previous movie had released eight years prior and was widely considered as the worst superhero movie of all time. Batman & Robin was a caricature of itself, playing up the camp aspects of its television predecessor featuring Adam West. It failed miserably (critically) and rightfully so, but, as a result, the franchise fell out of the limelight while Spiderman took over. Nolan brought Batman back at full force and afforded it the seriousness it deserved. Batman Begins was the beginning of a fresh way to look at Batman in film, a way that Brian Azzarello, Alan Moore and Frank Miller had portrayed it in their comic versions. The Dark Knight took it a step further, offering a complex superhero movie that felt more like a crime epic than a caped melodrama. In the process it gave viewers the most compelling villain in comic-movie history. It is the best superhero movie ever.

4. The Sopranos
When the first episode of The Sopranos aired in 1999, it was just a one-hour drama with high ambitions. It felt more like a mini-movie than a television show and as that first episode ended, you knew something great had begun. The Sopranos was a pioneer of television drama, proving that television could be as high-quality as film and didn't have to serve as cheap entertainment. It was a sincere look at mafia culture and is about as good of an education on organized crime as any TLC documentary. In fact, it's much less stylized. There were episodes of The Sopranos where absolutely nothing happened and that's why it was great. It didn't adhere to the classic television format where a problem was introduced and resolved in a single episode. It felt real, as if the show moved at a real-time pace. It eventually led to numerous great television shows such as The Wire and Mad Men, and for that alone we should be thankful.

3. Untrue, Burial
Burial is unique in the fact that most people who love his music listen to nothing else like it. That is, not many know anything else in the genre which he is commonly placed, dubstep. Dubstep is an interesting genre with deep roots in the UK and is just now becoming popular in the United States. Burial is at the forefront of this gradual recognition, having made two of the best albums of the decade, most notably Untrue. Untrue is an album full of pitched vocal samples from artists otherwise unbearable, leading the force over deep and dark synth, bass, rain and crackle. Untrue is the type of album that detaches the listener, capturing an effect that seems music was most intended for.

2. There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood is an adaptation of Upton Sinclair's Oil and, unlike many adaptations, gives you the feeling that there is no point to read the book after you've seen it. You figure Paul Thomas Anderson perfectly captured the essence of Sinclair's novel and that reading it would only allow your imperfect imagination to tarnish what is as much a beautiful piece of art as it is a great film. It's a visual masterpiece complete with a view of the expanding Wild West that so many Westerns fail to fully capture. Daniel Day Lewis gives possibly his best performance ever in what is a spacious, slow-paced film that ends up becoming uncomfortably intense because of it. Not many movies are approached this way, without concern for conventional format or the need to entertain. In the end, There Will Be Blood is a complex, layered film that becomes better with each viewing and ensuing discussion.

1. Kid A, Radiohead
Radiohead's Kid A is typically regarded as the turning point in the band's sound, a sound that had previously been described as space rock or something of that nature. Kid A effectively dumped the rock part and became full-on space, introducing instruments, effects and gadgets into the band's repertoire. The album explores sounds from genres of all types and eras including jazz and electronica, and it comes together in a work that continues to unravel with each listen. Kid A, like most things on this list, is a pioneer and yet is still unmatched. That's the sign of a great work of art, as Kid A continues to influence and shape music today without a parallel. In the chronology of Radiohead, a band that reshapes itself with each album, Kid A placed the band in the narrative of great music history, right at the top with legends the likes of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

Top 10 Entertainment of the '00s (Pt. 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:10:00 +0000

December 31, 2009

A year ends and lists are made. A decade ends and lists become the format by which every website publishes content for a span of three to four weeks. Most people embrace these lists, covering everything from the obvious to the completely pointless (a lot of the time, both are not mutually exclusive). We love lists, though; we love to quantify and qualify what is "the best", and lists are the result of that. It's not enough to appreciate something on its own, it must be better or worse than something else. Our brain appreciates that order. I appreciate that order quite a bit, although these lists are quite subjective and, thus, pretty much the complete opposite of order. It's an interesting paradox. So, in the spirit of the last days of this interesting decade, I've decided to list what I find to be the Top 10 Entertainment of the '00s.

10. Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, by Chris Ware
Chris Ware is one of the most notable artists/writers working in comics today and his work is consistently featured on the covers of magazines, books, music albums, etc. Ware has a unique and easily identifiable style that I find to be the best in the industry. His graphic novel, Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, is a triumph of both art and storytelling. It is a shining example of how narrative form can propel a work to higher standards. It is a masterpiece; a work that has no parallel in comics.

9. Discovery, by Daft Punk
With nothing less than complete conviction can I say Discovery is the album that catapulted the electronic dance scene into the spotlight that it appreciates today. In 2001, Daft Punk created a dance music phenomenon, bridging the gap between house music and the mainstream. Tracks like "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" and "One More Time" are odes to the genre through which Daft Punk came up, while simultaneously carrying pop sensibilities that everyone loves. People who identify as not liking house or "techno" dance like maniacs when a Discovery track comes on. This album opened the gates for all forms of electronic music to invade the mainstream, more obviously with a duo like Justice, and more subtly in the way that pop artists like Lady Gaga or the Black Eyed Peas produce tracks.

8. Da Ali G Show
Where Punk'd served as a shallow-yet-entertaining spectacle of prankdom on celebrities, Da Ali G Show was a much more elaborate, funny, poignant prank on society-at-large. Sacha Baron Cohen created three unforgettable characters in Ali G, Borat and Bruno, each with their own distinct way of turning society on its end, exposing just how stupid people can be. And it was some of the funniest television ever created. While you may argue the movies are better placed on this list, well, the movies are just extensions of this preceding work.

7. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers' debut work, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, is a memoir that reads like no other, constantly playing with narrative form, breaking conventional barriers in the process. Most people who complain about the book claim it's "self-important" (or other like term), but as such a blatantly self-important title suggests, that's the point. Eggers represents an evolving, fresh writing style, shared with the likes of Jonathan Safran Foer and David Foster Wallace and others, proving that books can be as much about the process of writing as the story itself and yet, can still flow and be entertaining. A Heartbreaking Work is perhaps the most unconventional-yet-popular memoir ever written, at times hilarious and at others, completely heartbreaking.

6. Halo
The original Halo, developed by Bungie for Xbox, did quite a few things for the video game industry. First, it made Microsoft a clear and viable competitor in an industry that Sony had dominated the previous five years. Second, it changed the entire landscape of first-person shooters and multiplayer gaming. While all of these things did not come to fruition until subsequent titles in the series were released, Halo set the standard and it still remains the most relatively innovative game in that series. It brought the element of a good single player story that felt more like a movie, proving that FPS's could be a complete experience. Its multiplayer setup was a precursor to what is highly regarded as the best online FPS in console history. Plus, the game was just really damn fun.

(Pt. 2 to be published Jan. 1st)

Wolford Mtn. Project

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:27:00 +0000

October 28, 2009

     In the summer of 2006 some close friends and I took a road trip. It was, in theory, a quintessential road trip. The plan was to head west to the coast of California and back again to the comfort of our homes where we’d revel to our friends about the adventures we’d encountered. We would hit what we decided were necessary destinations—the Rockies, the salt flats of Utah, San Francisco, Los Angeles and the Grand Canyon—with little itinerary outside of that. It was a good trip, complete with the clichéd ups and downs, twists and turns and all the melodrama one would and could expect.

     In the years since that trip, I’ve grown increasingly fond of the experience, with all its contained life lessons and enlightenment, however enigmatic those might still be. However, there was a specific moment on the trip that particularly holds weight with my friends and me. It’s a moment we still talk about, as if subconsciously attempting to unravel its meaning, its place in the narrative of our lives. The moment is known simply as when we stopped at Wolford Mtn. Project.

     Wolford Mtn. Project is an expanse of land—a ranch actually—located in some disregarded terrain of Colorado. Not necessarily in the mountains, nor the plains, Wolford Mtn. Project exists in limbo, at the threshold of nothingness and extravagance. Perhaps that’s what drove us to stop on that dusky evening, its liminality containing something within us as well, a group of young guys without much direction, at the first steps on the pathway to adulthood. Or, more likely, it just looked incredible.

     Once we stopped on the side of the road we sort of just stood there, not saying much. We noted the muted blue horizon, the mountains and hills in the distance, and the fact that you could look on for what seemed like forever without seeing another form of life. It had a time traveling effect, transporting us to an era now sterilized, neatly contained in textbooks and History Channel documentaries. Our car was the proverbial DeLorean, the only cue to an existence beyond what we were seeing with our own eyes.

     Standing there was strangely meditative and consoling and I knew it meant something, though the moment paralyzed any sort of profound thought at the time. It was simplifying in a way, us four void of everything but the sight of the terrain. It was quite literally only the four of us out there and it left no way of plugging in, something admittedly too much the case back home. In the wake of sensory overload, where media has no peak and no endpoint, ridding yourself of the things in your life and unplugging yourself, even for a moment, and taking the chance to look out into the expanse is important. I think in many ways it connected us to a country we hadn’t really ever seen before, with all of its elegance, its history, how it has transformed over time. All of that somehow seemed contained in the desolateness of middle-Colorado.

     We left after 20 minutes or so, leaving behind something that really hasn’t left at all.

Where The Wild Things Are

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:12:00 +0000

September 30, 2009

I was fortunate enough (or perhaps too willing to spend $40) to be able to see a sneak preview of Where The Wild Things Are at The Music Box on Southport here in Chicago. The event was hosted by Dave Eggers (who co-wrote the movie) and his 826 Chicago tutoring center and allowed for the audience to participate in a Q&A with Catherine Keener, Max Records, and director Spike Jonze after the screening. It was a great experience and I loved the movie. I haven't seen too many films this year, for better or worse, but I do think it's one of the best of '09. Check out my review and Q&A coverage on Chicagoist.

Social Cannibalism

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:00:00 +0000

September 29, 2009

I've been reading Dick Meyer's 2008 book, Why We Hate Us, for the past week. Meyer is the executive editor of NPR News (liberal yahoo alert!) and has a reputable past with CBS News as well. His book is a sociological look at "American discontent in the new millennium". Needless to say, he has plenty to talk about.

Meyer makes a lot of great points about what makes up our discontent--things such as the worship of self-awareness, self-realization, and self-fulfillment, kids being taught to market themselves, high-level cheating in business and sports, and the penetration of OmniMarketing into OmniMedia and the insinuation of both into every facet of our lives--however, I'm highly unequipped to make any relevant points or arguments about almost all of them. But, like most bloggers, I'll offer my input anyway on a particular excerpt that I found to be well-put and especially relevant:

"The social superego has been silenced or at least muted. Brothers have no keepers. Respectful, polite behavior can't be enforced by external, deliberate action, by vigilant etiquette and spontaneous censorship. It comes from shared boundaries and conventions, and they are disappearing. I suppose I am essentially advocating social inhibition, an idea that has become unacceptable in America. Honesty and 'letting it all hang out' are the higher virtues. It is more important to be true to yourself and spontaneous than mannered and considerate. In group living, this is social cannibalism" (pg 53).

     Meyer's point here is tied into an overall theme he covers throughout his book: selfism. He talks frequently about the prevailing culture valuing individuality over community, an idea that started becoming mainstream in the sixties. What results is this cataclysm of selfish and self-righteous attitudes, the idea that being true to yourself validates the disrespect of everyone else.

     We routinely, against our will, give passes to statements like I'm a diva, deal with it, or I just need to be real so I'm going to tell you what's on my mind, or the comparatively modest That's just who I am. These people are assholes. It does not follow from you keeping it real that you have to tell me my hair looks like shit. Your self-proclaimed diva status does not excuse you from cutting in front of me at the bar so you and your girls can get your buttery nipple shots. We've been so indoctrinated to the idea that being true to oneself is such a high virtue that any and all offenses in this pursuit are necessary evils (or, at the least, we tolerate them). They are not.

     This is not to say that I don't value individuality. I respect people wanting to express themselves through painting, music, bodybuilding, Gucci, etc. It is important to embrace who you are, at least in the sense that you should be happy with your ambitions and pursuits (as long as they don't hurt anyone else). However, individualism has transformed into selfism and there is nothing intrinsically moral about that. There is with respect. Respect, in the group setting we live in that Meyers refers to, contributes to a much happier, more civil society. So screw you, my hair looks awesome.

     What do you think? Am I spitting pseudo-intellectual elitist nonsense? Am I whining? Probably, but these are issues nonetheless. I'm nowhere near a sociological expert, so let Mr. Dick Meyer articulate it a little better on the Colbert Report: video.

Relaunch

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:32:00 +0000

September 23, 2009

     Relaunch is a bit presumptuous, isn't it? Relaunches are only important if anyone notices that said entity went away in the first place. Granted, the readership here is around three or four (thanks Mom!), but I have a propensity to become bored or frustrated with something I'm involved in and I reinvent.

     That's largely what this website needed--a complete reinvetion. It severely lacked direction, cohesiveness and quality content. I grew tired of contributing very little to a blogosphere consumed with unoriginality, superficiality, and other such alitys that give many critics of blogging their ammo. I was offering content readers could and did find on myriad other outlets. It was an exercise in futility. Cue the relaunch.

     What all this means for those who read what I write is slightly blurry. I won't promise that you will like the new direction. I can't promise to break hot trends or breaking news or which hermaphroditic celebrity is teaming up with Kid Cudi to produce a concept bluegrass album (though that would qualify as breaking news, wouldn't it?). What I can do is give a sincere effort to write about things that are important to me, that I feel are worthwhile sharing, and aren't written for the sake of page views. I have a feeling this is enough, so let me be right.

     Lastly, I want to thank Randy Verbeck of Sad Bird Design for the redesign of the site. He did a great job putting my thoughts on the screen and I can't be happier with how things turned out. I realize there are some issues with balance right now, but as content begins to fill the site, things will work themselves out. Thanks for coming back--I hope you stay!