Folks I'm not even going to pretend here...I'm tired. It's been a long week. Isn't that the way it always goes though? The four day weeks tend to seem longer because you have to make up for all the work you missed on Monday. Well all the work is done and it's Friday and I'm tired. The best way to sum up this week is by letting you know that Shea and I are currently trying to watch Peter Jackson's King Kong for the third time this week. We keep picking it up from the parts where we fell asleep round about. Each night we get a little further, but never to the finish line. For the record why don't more people talk about this movie? It's pretty awesome! Yes granted it's like three hours long and it takes about a full hour before you get to see the ape, but man it's freakin' good. The story is good, the acting is good, the CGI looks awesome, the battles are epic, and there's a huge effin' gorilla in it. What isn't there to like? Speaking as someone who has watched it pretty much all week, give it another shot.
I first heard of State Radio while working at Borders. During my part time stint there I was in charge of the multimedia (music and movies) and I found all types of good stuff. I picked up State Radio's first album almost on a whim. It didn't know much about them and took a chance on the album. Having a 33% discount didn't hurt either. State Radio is Chad Urmston (of Dispatch fame) other band. They're more politically charged and tend to have a harder edge at times. Actually I heard State Radio before I listened to Dispatch. Kind of backwards I know.
When I initially listened to the album I thought it was okay. I wasn't overly impressed. It had it's moments where it shined and then it had it's moments where I was like "eh". After one or two listens it got shelved and I didn't really think about it. I don't remember when I decided to play it again but I do remember when I heard it I fell in love. It definitely wasn't the same album I had first listened to. This album was fun, heavy, moving, it wasn't just there. This album had passion and humor and awesome.There was a good month or two where it was in constant rotation.
Calvado's Chopper is a good song that blends some of the different styles together that you hear throughout the album. It's quiet for awhile and then it's gets heavy with the distortion and the political themes. Is it just me or does anyone else like the sound of Chad Urmston's voice? It's unique and has moments of tenderness and aggression. He definitely knows how to use it to get his message across. My only complaint is the end, and the thirty seconds of dead air. I don't mind if a song ends and there's dead air, especially when it leads to a bonus track, but when it leads to nothing but thirty seconds of nothing it's annoying. Why would you include that? Unless you're getting paid for the album length.
Calvado's Chopper isn't the best song on the album but it's a good bookend. It helps draw the album to a close and it's good to play while sitting at home. It fits the album perfectly, and growing to love the album leads you to grow and love this song. It's a package deal.
(Side Note: I went to the liquor store today and was wearing my Pearl Jam avocado shirt. The guy next to me at the check out counter looked at my shirt and said "Pearl Jam...that's a real good band". I got excited because I don't have a lot of Pearl Jam conversations with people outside of my realm of friends. I said that I agreed and then asked if he had heard Eddie Vedder's new album. He responded with a couple of songs, which lead me to believe he hadn't heard any of it, but it didn't matter. His Pearl Jam acknowledgment was the music moment of my day.)
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