Category: mixed media

hmm interesting, mixed media, television

The Americans

by  •  • 2 Comments

We were a little late to get to it, but James and I recently decided to watch The Americans, which was show on FX, starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, and followed a pair of Russian spies posing as “regular Americans”. We have been binge watching the seasons on Amazon Prime, and just finished last night. The series finale was great, and it was honestly a great show.

Since the show has been off the air for a bit, I figured there were some thoughts about the finale, which we watched last night, and I found this article about the finale. I’m glad I read it, because it leaves you with some questions, and I wanted to see if others felt the same catharsis that I did with the way they wrapped it up. BONUS (and perhaps the coolest part, that I was completely unaware of): I discovered that the show was based on a true story!! Mind blown!!

The article about the real spies is super interesting, especially if you are/were fans of the show; and it is crazy to think that stuff like this is real, and that the Russians did have spies (maybe still do?!?!?!!), living and posing as “regular” Americans. It’s like a spy novel come to life. Wild. As for the show, if you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor, it’s great, and it’s free on Amazon Prime!

mixed media, music musings, music suggestion, you tube

sotd: Flume – Never Be Like You (feat. Kai)

by  •  • 0 Comments

It seems that a lot more artists are turning out killer tracks like this, in the somewhat slow, trip-hop-esque sound, which is apparently called wonky electronica, future bass, and/(or, combination?) PBRNB; all of which stem from some of my favorite genres like drum n bass, trip hop, dubstep, etc. Regardless of what it’s called, this new(ish?) genre in electronic music has me reeling, as it is so emotive with not only the vocals, but the beats; it is almost like they are another voice speaking to you in some coded language. Artists like FKA Twigs come to mind when I hear this stuff, and they are killing it with this sound; I am always excited to hear something as amazing as this single, by the very young Flume (24 y.o.!!), an Australian who is bringing something fresh to the table.

This is one of those slow burn songs; every listen pulls me in deeper, and I can’t wait to hear it again. Looking forward to more from Flume; and more of this brand of electronica as well.

five song friday, mixed media, music suggestion, you tube

5SF: july 8

by  •  • 0 Comments

Yes, I know, it’s been a little while. My apologies. I have hit after hit for you today in order to make up for it though; does that make you want to forgive me? I hope you emphatically nodded yes when you read that statement. Now, let me introduce you to them hits, okay? There may even be a bonus track thrown in to sweeten the pot today. See how nice I am?

Logan Lynn – Quickly As We Pass
Let me start by saying a major thank you to my buddy Popmuse for alerting me to the amazingness that this track lays down. I cannot get enough of its synthy goodness. It is such a throwback to delicious 80’s styled glam driven pop, yet it is fresh, and updated digitally to fit perfectly alongside the “future” of pop music, like the stuff being made by acts like Calvin Harris and Mark Ronson. This is such an earworm, and I cannot stop listening. I love Logan Lynn’s sweet vocal style, and laid over this catchy track, it has me wondering why I don’t pay way more attention to this fabulous artist; perhaps now there is no time like the present!! Watch the video for Quickly As We Pass here. (Note: there is a little nudity in the video, possibly NSFW).

Yasmin – Finish Line
Lord knows I have thanked BBC Radio 1 in the past for turning me on to some amazing tunes, and here’s another shout out to perhaps my favorite radio station, that just happens to be located across the pond. I heard this song a couple of weeks ago, and I immediately jacked the volume up, and grabbed my phone to Shazam this gem; this song is gold!! While Yasmin may be signing about the Finish Line, I certainly hope she has more amazing stuff like this slated for the future, and this is more of a beginning than anything final. This is the type of music that should be on radio stations here in the US; as always, the UK is getting it right time and time again, way ahead of the game. Watch the video for Finish Line here.

Nicola Roberts – Beat of My Drum
After a couple of the other girls from Girls Aloud broke out on their own, and failed to fully blow me away, and sustain (to be fair, I did LOVE both Cheryl Cole’s Fight For This Love, and Nadine Cole’s Insatiable), out of nowhere, Nicola Roberts is BURNING IT UP. This track is hot, and just in time for summer! Produced by seemingly everywhere producer Diplo (he’s 1/2 of Major Lazer, and throws in a recognizable sound effect, which I can only assume is his calling card), and containing a heavy beat, killer chorus, and outlandish beats, this song has been burning up my ears since I first heard it a few weeks ago. This song begs to be danced to, and Nicola is commanding you in a way that Kelly Rowland would be proud. I hope that the rest of Nicola’s upcoming album is like this dance floor killer, because it if is, I think we may have found the one girl from Girls Aloud that stands a chance of holding her own stylistically and musically. While the style is totally different, it reminds me a bit of when Siobhan Donaghy made her amazing sophomore album Ghosts, after leaving Sugababes; you never know how talented one of the group is until they decide to go their own way and try something different. “L-O-V-E! Dance to the beat of my drum!” Absolutely!! Watch the video for Beat of My Drum here.

Nicole Scherzinger – Right There
FINALLY. Ladies and gentlemen, something that I have been waiting on for quite some time, may have finally happened; Nicole Scherzinger is going to break through the US market, and finally have a fucking SOLO HIT. While I did think that this sounded a bit Rihanna-ish the first time I heard it, I didn’t see that as a negative. In fact, I think it is exactly what Nicole needed to finally break through solo on her home turf; familiarity. So far, I have heard this on the local radio station a few times, and it seems to be making at least some ripples on the charts. While I doubt it will be a number one for her, I do think it will open the door for her in home country musically, and we may finally get to hear more and more solo stuff from the most talented Pussycat Doll. Ladies and gentlmen, Nicole Scherzinger is home, and hopefully, there’s more to come! And yes, 50 Cent’s cameo in the song/video is almost 100% unnecessary. Watch the video for Right There here.

DJ Fresh – Louder
What can I say? Again, the UK is killing it; this is the current number one hit in the UK. They are so far ahead of the pack sometimes, it just makes me wonder what the hell is going on in the US music scene. Dubstep is the “new” sensation in the UK, and is a style of music that I cannot get enough of. I am hoping that Dubstep makes more of a splash here than previous styles of music from the UK did stateside (most notably UK Garage, which I still fucking love; thanks to *N’SYNC for trying to make it happen, though!). This is such a great song for summer, and one that I am glad to have discovered, thanks again to my musical saviors over at BBC Radio 1. I love how the end of the song starts to get louder, faster, etc; it reminds me of Beyonce performing Suvivor live as she did on her concert DVD. Pure energy! Watch the video for Louder here.

Oh shit, did someone say bonus track? And now for a +1…

Beyonce – Rule the World (Girls)
Speaking of Beyonce… Well, 4 is out, and well, I’m underwhelmed. I wanted to love it, because I do love Beyonce, but I just didn’t. That being said, I had high hopes for this album, mostly because of how much I loved Run the World (Girls) as its lead single. In fact, I thought, that I had posted this song in a 5SF or something, because of how much I think this song is SICK, but I apparently didn’t, and as such, wanted to feature it as a bonus track (or a super-relevant Google+ approved +1) in this week’s 5SF. A lot of people were turned off by the Major Lazer sample throughout the song, but I have to say, that while YES, it does sound almost identical to Major Lazer’s Pon De Floor, please keep in mind that Switch produced the track, and he is 1/2 of Major Lazer (apparently it is a Major Lazer day for me today…). I think Beyonce’s vocals elevate the track, and put a fresh, and frankly sick-as-shit spin to it. I have been loving this song more and more with each listen, and I just wish that I didn’t stick out like a sore ass thumb on 4 (I was hoping for more like it on the album); but hey, you can’t win them all, can you? Watch the video for Run The World (Girls) here.

So what did you think? I hope you enjoyed these tracks. As always, let me know what you thought, and definitely tell me what you are listening to; you may see it on a future 5SF! Stay cool out there!!

civil rights, hotness, mixed media, politics, that is so gay

Tom Ford on gay marriage

by  •  • 3 Comments

This morning, I read this interview with Tom Ford, and I really liked some of the things he had to say; especially what he said about the gay marriage issue in this country. Tom Ford is my number one celebrity crush, so of course, any time I have a sliver of a good reason to do a post about him, I will. In fact, thinking about that, I don’t post about him nearly enough!

In the article, when he was asked if he would marry his partner of over 20 years, after being together for so long, Ford responded with:

Yes, when it becomes a federal law. Right now it doesn’t do any good in the states. A few weeks ago Richard had to go into the hospital for something, and I had to carry around all these legal documents saying I could make medical decisions for him. It was insane. The fact that we are not married in the federal sense means that if I were to die, he’d have to pay all these taxes on my estate and receive but a fraction of it and he’d have to alter his life —whereas if we were married, he wouldn’t have to face that burden. That’s disgusting. It’s wrong. But that said, I think I am in favor of terming what I’m talking about as a civil partnership. We all get so caught up with this word marriage. For me, the word marriage is something that a religion should decide. Just give me all the same rights. A civil partnership is what I’d like for everyone—heterosexual as well as homosexual. Call it what you like—it’s the rights that are important. Getting hung up with the semantics derails the cause we’re all fighting for.

It really resonated with me, because that is exactly the way that people should view it. If the word marriage makes it such a sticky and religious issue, take “marriage” out of it. Give us the rights, you can keep the religious mumbo jumbo; we don’t want that part of it anyway. Additionally, the government shouldn’t back religious practices anyway, so if this will get us equal rights, I am all for it.

I for one, am sick and tired of someone holding up a book and determining what rights I get to have because of what that book may or may not have told them to believe as the truth; the same book that also told them to love thy neighbor, and not pass judgment. Wrapping civil rights up in religious institutions is not only wrong, it is unconstitutional. When will our government take a stand, and stand up for us?

mixed media, show the love, television, that is so gay

must watch: Modern Family

by  •  • 3 Comments

Initially, it seems that it always takes me a while to get into anything that gets a lot of hype, and because of the pre-season buzz, Modern Family was no exception. However, thankfully, I saw the light early on in this case, and after last night’s hilarious episode, I can definitely say that the hype was right in this case; there is something truly wonderful about this show. The characters are all funny, they are developing them well on the show, and they all play off of one another as an ensemble masterfully. This show doesn’t feel like a “new show” at all.


I almost don’t want to compare it to anything, but I would definitely say that Modern Family bears many similarities to another great show, Arrested Development; perhaps most obviously in the way that it uses a hybrid mocumentary filming style in the story development (not to mention the laugh out loud hilarity found in each show). Shows and movies that use that form of story telling usually draw me in (Best in Show and Drop Dead Gorgeous are all time favorite movies of mine), and Modern Family is no exception. When you add that to the witty writing, and laugh out loud gags, I am confident in saying that that I have found a new must watch show of the fall 2009 season. It’s also extremely refreshing that there is a gay couple on the show, and that they are not just background characters, or stereotypical punchlines/token go-to’s for a laugh. I actually really like their characters, and I like even more that they are portrayed as normal; which, importantly, is what gay people are. Perhaps their characters will help further educate the people in America that still see us as “other” and “different” that we’re just normal people with normal lives; and that we might be the funniest ones around, too. ABC is getting all kinds of plus marks and gold stars from me in their portrayal of gay characters on prime time shows.

I’ve really enjoyed every episode of Modern Family that I’ve seen thus far, and I am excited to see what this show has in store for us. Wednesday nights at 9 just keep getting better and better.

all about me, is it just me?, mixed media, near and dear, that is so gay

so you’ve known all along?

by  •  • 4 Comments

It is no secret that I have been thoroughly enjoying the new show Glee, that it seems everyone is talking about. However, this post really isn’t about Glee. While I find the show funny, sweet, endearing, the times where it has proven to be an intimate portrait of real life are what have really struck a cord with me.

Now, I am going to say this to warn you, I am going to discuss something that happened on the show last night, so you have been forewarned of spoilers, and should stop reading now if you haven’t seen the episode/don’t want to see this spoiler.

On last night’s episode, Kurt came out to his father (he came out in the episode before it too, and while I’m glad they covered him coming out, I really hope the whole season isn’t Kurt coming out to people) and while I thought it was really touching, it was what was said said during their conversation that really hit me. Mike O’Malley (who’s kind of adorable) played Kurt’s father, and after Kurt came out to him, he said to him, “I’ve known since you were 3. All you wanted for your birthday was a pair of sensible heels.”. While his follow up was hilarious, I can’t help but focus on his initial response: “I’ve known since you were 3.”. For me, an unavoidable question arose when I heard that statement: why didn’t you say anything, then?

This reminds me of a scene from the first season of (the American version) Queer as Folk, where Justin’s mom Jennifer is talking to Debbie about their respective gay sons. Jennifer was having an issue with talking to Justin about it (I think it was about getting confirmation that he was indeed gay), when Jennifer said something to the effect of “when did you know your son was gay?”. Debbie’s response really resonated with me in the same way Kurt’s father’s response did; however, she took it a crucial step farther. Debbie tells her that she had always known, and quips to Jennifer that parents always know; which is the reason that she went to her son and talked to him about it, so that he wouldn’t have to face the difficulty of coming to her on his own.

What I wanted to get at with writing about this is, if parents know their child is gay, why don’t they talk to them about it, instead of making us go through the process of coming out? Even if you aren’t 100% sure your child is gay, at least going to them, and talking to them makes it easier for them to know that things are going to be okay. Coming out was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and unfortunately, I got that same response from my parents, “we’ve always known”.

This time I was asking myself: since they knew, why didn’t they say anything? Since they knew, why did they make me go through the pain of having to come to them, on my own, to tell them? I am sure they had to of noticed how hard it was for me to do it, and what I went through all of those years prior to your official confirmation, so again, why did they wait?

I think that many parents are afraid to take responsibility for things, and as such, are afraid to talk to their kids about things that are affecting them. This is a major reason why some parents are terrified to talk with their kids about sex, which, just like ignoring the gay issues, has its own set of consequences. It’s incredibly difficult for me to understand how you can be someone’s parent (or guardian), and not want to protect and love your child as much as humanly possible. It would seem to me, that this would include making things better for them in any way I could (in this case, making their lives easier by helping them come out by going to them first and letting them know it is okay).

Unfortunately, I know there are people out there that are just downright horrible people, and many of those people would likely cause harm to their child if put in this situation; and as such, these are not the people I am asking to answer this question. A friend of mine in college named Mandy was thrown out by her parents when they found out she was indeed a lesbian, and they cut her off completely. People like that should really be ashamed of themselves, but are clearly so selfish, that I am certain that isn’t possible. Yet, parents that aren’t horrible people like the ones I just mentioned, still let their kids go through the painful process of discovering who they really are alone. I just don’t get it.

I once dated someone whose parents came to him and discussed his sexuality before he came out to them, and they had an amazing relationship. I always admired them for their being so forthcoming with him, and making the issue of his sexuality something that helped him, instead of hurt him. By opening up to him, he wasn’t forced to go the often difficult journey of discovering who you are, and coming out, alone. Seeing it practice even strengthened my curiosity as to why so many parents don’t do the same thing his parents did for him.

I can tell you, that if I ever have kids, no issue will be “off the table”. I think one of the best ways you can show your child that you love them, is by not keeping vital information that you know they are struggling with to discover themselves to yourself; the damage that could arise always outweighs the discomfort you might feel engaging in a sensitive conversation. If there is anything that I would want to come out of this, is if any parent reads this, and you think your child might be gay, talk to them about it. The worst thing that could happen, is that you make their life easier in the process; and isn’t that what every good parent wants for their child?

funnies, mixed media, you tube

llamas are not kleptomaniacs

by  •  • 4 Comments

I love llamas, and I am totally serious. I think they are absolutely adorable. While I think that the people in the video take things a little far with how intricately they dressed up their llamas, that isn’t why I posted the video.

There really are only two reasons for me posting this video: one, llamas are cute (which I already mentioned), and two, I absolutely love Rachel Mazac’s response to some woman asking her if her llama would eat her jewelery. I love that Rachel just rolls her eyes and says, “they don’t eat jewelery, they’re not kleptomaniacs”. So true Rachel. So true.

(seen on bestweekever.tv)

all about me, happenings, home improvement, mixed media, school

june’s ending, so here’s a list

by  •  • 2 Comments

There have been several little things going on with me lately, but nothing big, so I figured a list would do the trick. Here we go:

  • As I mentioned a few times, we got a PS3 earlier in June. Yesterday, I noticed that they had a bundle with Little Big Planet (the game I bought the same day I got the PS3) and Wall E included (for the same price I paid for just the system). I went to Best Buy and asked for my copy of LBP and Wall E, and they said I’d have to return the system; so I did. I got $65 store credit for my opened copy of LBP, $30 store credit for Wall E, and a new PS3. Saving almost $100 was well worth me going back home, packing up that massive system and taking it back in. I think sometimes that I probably pay too much attention to ads and deals, but when things like this happen, I just pat myself on the back for being so aware.
  • After some discussion at brunch yesterday, I decided it was time to whiten my teeth again. I have the custom trays, but they hurt my gums, so I have been avoiding them for quite a while now. The Crest White Strips were recommended to me, so I picked up some of the Pro Effects strips today. I hope they work, as I have been feeling like the bright white smile I used to have has been a little dull lately.
  • On my ongoing attempt to become a nurse: I applied to Georgia Perimeter’s associates program again, and this time, I actually had the appropriate Transfer student status!!! If I get in, I am jumping on that opportunity, and definitely starting that program. I also applied to Kennesaw AGAIN, and was able to fix the whole “out of state” situation (which, as it turns out, was just a mistake). So here’s hoping I get in there; because going straight for the BSN would obviously be ideal (I would probably transfer the classes I take at GPC, if I get in there, to KSU). Either way, the baby steps are still being taken, and I hope that some big kid steps are in my near future.
  • The bathroom (I know, I know) is like 99.7345% done. Pictures soon, I PROMISE. Part of the problem, was that I decided to paint the other one, and get a new medicine cabinet for it too; which has obviously meant way more work for me.
  • James doesn’t like the idea, but I am definitely thinking that we need to get a pool. It is too fucking hot, and I think that our friends would want to come over and swim! I LOVE pools, and even if it is only a ~5ft deep pool, it would make summer so much more fun. It may also motivate me to get to gym more often and be less of a fat fuck. (I recently started back at the gym, so I am hoping that dream will become a reality).
  • I think that’s all for now.

five song friday, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion, school

5SF: june 26

by  •  • 0 Comments

JESUS it is hot. HOT HOT HOT!!!! I can’t get over how hot it already is this year; it just makes me want to stay indoors at all times. Other than the heat, I got some good news today: I filed for residency at KSU, and it was accepted!! Now… to get into the nursing program… baby steps… But enough about that; it’s time for today’s five songs!

Gossip – Pop Goes The World
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_626_gossip-popgoestheworld.mp3]
Holy song of the summer, Batman! Seriously, this one is going to make the hot months much more bearable. I have posted about the Gossip in the past, because I absolutely love the unique and powerful voice of the amazing Beth Ditto. Well, they released their newest album, Music For Men, this week, and so far, this is my favorite track on the album. This song is almost impossible not to dance and sing to; I love the tribal drumming and sticky sweet backing synth. I LOVE the crescendo the song grows to at about 1:25 in; it is epic!

Wave Machines – I Go I Go I Go
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_626_wavemachines-igoigoigo.mp3]
Another free song offered on the UK iTunes, I Go I Go I Go is a fresh, and hip dance rock track for summer as well. It really reminds me of awesome bands like Vampire Weekend, and even the Lightning Seeds. This track is as fresh as recently laid out produce, and I have been loving it more and more with each listen. I LOVE when I find random, awesome tracks like this. Thanks UK iTunes (even though I couldn’t buy it/get it for free like the other UKers)!

Safetysuit – Annie
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_626_safetysuit-annie.mp3]
This one is a “discovered while my ipod was running on shuffle” track. I added Safetysuit’s album, Life Left To Go, a while ago, but I hadn’t gotten around to a real listen. This track really stood out to me during the shuffle, and hearing talent like this really confuses me even more why people still love bands like Nickelback. If you like their “style”, Safetysuit is doing it, only better, and without the repetition (admit it, all of Nickelback’s songs are the same!! Stop the madness people!). I, for one, am glad that I found Safetysuit, and this great track (which really reminds me of what I LOVE about Our Lady Peace; the story telling, unique male vocals, and blaring distorted guitars). I only wish Safetysuit were getting the publicity that NB is.

Michael Johns – Heart On My Sleeve
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_626_michaeljohns-heartonmysleeve.mp3]
I’m going to be totally honest: I didn’t care very much that he was even in the top 10 on American Idol. Yes, I thought he could sing beautifully, but since he wasn’t a “front runner” in my eyes, it was easy for me to ignore him. However, being that I definitely think AI has gained a really credible means of spotting true talent over the seasons, I wanted to check out his release when I saw it on iTunes earlier this week. Well, this song, the first track off of the album, has all of the vocal grittiness of Daughtry, with a tendency to lean more towards a Take That style (not to mention that it sounds A LOT like their amazing track, Rule the World). Overall, if for no other reason that I found this great track, I’m glad that I gave Michael another chance.

Alexisonfire – Burial
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_626_alexisonfire-burial.mp3]
At this point, there really shouldn’t be any surprise to any of you how deep my love for Dallas Green (aka City and Colour) runs. Be that as it may, Dallas sings in Alexisonfire, a post-hardcore band, which, I have to say, is NOT my cup of tea. After hearing City and Colour, it is almost a shock that Dallas is even a driving force in Alexisonfire at all. However, they released a new album this week, and with the last track on the album, Dallas injected a MAJOR dose of his folk sensibility into the record, and I couldn’t be more elated, as it is a gorgeous song. I’m glad that Dallas tenderized at least one track on the album, because it gives folk lovers like me a chance to love something about a band that I probably wouldn’t otherwise listen to.

Well, there you have it! Five fresh tracks that are definitely music to my ears; what about to yours? Let me know what you liked or didn’t like, and as always, please tell me what you are listening to.

I feel compelled to say, that no, I did not feel the need to post any Michael Jackson songs, as I am not what I would consider, a fan of his music. I liked some songs, but nothing to the level of “love”, so I didn’t feel any need to stretch that, just because of his death. Anyway, there really isn’t anything that I could “introduce” you to about his music, which is kind of the point of the 5SF in the first place, so there we go.

Have a great weekend, and STAY COOL!