7th Poll, Train Never Stops, News, New Poll

No, I'm not making apocalyptic porn

Hey kids, I feel like the past few weeks had been my longest absence and I hate that. I’ve probably got too much on my plate and I’ll spell it out here to give myself some sort of excuse for the lack of reviews (but when my schedule normalizes in the fall I know it’ll get better).

What I am doing right now:
Full time film major/English minor at UC Santa Barbara

Applying to Graduate School (taking the GRE next week)

Pitching a short film next week, Until The Very Last Moment (6 month production, decent budget, will take up every weekend from now until March)

Submitted my last film Chimes Of Gaviota: or I've Got The Real Estate Blues to the SBIFF (Santa Barbara International Film Festival) and making a special edition DVD

Finishing a script with a PHD student about the war in IRAQ to be produced in the fall

Working at Video Services (taping lectures, events, etc.)

Writing articles for Artsweek, the entertainment section of our school newspaper, The Daily Nexus

Will be writing articles for WORD, a local Isla Vista magazine

Playing shows as Existential Hero and making another album or two

Being an active member of CLLCT

And of course writing for Foggy Ruins Of Time

I’m sure there are those crazier than I, but I’m hustlin’ as much as I can. Again I think when I start having classes and my film gets started, the time will be more regimented and I’ll actually have no excuse to not give you more reviews and interviews.

So if you look below there is a review of the new Just Joans album (hint: it’s pretty darn fantastic), and right now I’m working on a review for the new Let’s Whisper EP. Hopefully next week I’ll have my long delayed interviews with Star from The Elated Sob Story, Rusty Anderson from The Top Grossing Films Of 1984 and Rob and Max from (Gang Of) Virgins. I’ve also received a few new CDs in the mail so look for some new faces soon.

Oh yeah, that poll:



Wall-E and The Dark Knight were so very close and as a tag team they did well too. I suspect The Dark Knight won because of Wall-E’s divisive philosophy on the future of the human race; although, both movies kind of share that view. Shame on those who haven’t seen either, but I suspect that by now they will have. And who the hell liked Hancock over the other two? Will Smith is pretty charming, but that movie was a mess.

I was planning to write a review of The Dark Knight, but seeing it in IMAX never panned out. I may write one eventually.

NEW POLL, check it out and leave any comments here.

Okay, so thanks everyone for being patient, I should be back on track soon.

Mp3:
The Brooke (a tiny ocean)-"Born On A Train

One Year Anniversary, Updates, (Very) Old Poll Results and New Poll

View from The Studio, my venue of residence in Isla Vista, California.

Hey kids I’m back in good ol’ Santa Barbara and maybe, just maybe I can get back on a regular schedule. Then again was this blog ever on a regular schedule?

Foggy Ruins Of Time is now a year old (actually a few days ago, but still)! I remember being inspired by so many blogs out there who sadly aren’t with us anymore. But, I shall carry on the torch and continue bringing you faithful readers the most in-depth reviews of DIY music, Lo-Fi music and anything else that comes my way. Thank you all for making this something fulfilling and a necessary part of my day. I am a better writer because of it. Not to mention all of the great music discovered and friendships made.

Let’s finish up that poll from a zillion years ago:



It makes me happy that a majority of you readers said that “Indie” isn’t a genre. For those who said “yes,” what are the qualities of the “Indie” genre? For those who said “Not anymore,” I really want to know what that means.

So what’s on the plate in the next few weeks? For album reviews:

Patrick Ripoll’s Spawning
The Smittens: The Coolest Thing About Love
Hotpants Romance: It’s A Heatwave

Plus a slew of Wee Pop! Records releases. Damn it’s hard to keep up with Thor and Camila’s impressive output these days. Just too many good bands including secondary releases by One Happy Island and The Just Joans as well as the debut record of Let’s Whisper. I know you all can’t wait.

Also I will probably be ready soon to write my review for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, this summer’s other masterpiece.

But the biggest news of all is I have two interviews in the works, that’s right, two! Marc With A C was kind enough to answer my questions and give us some food for thought and some terrific insights into many many things. The second interview is a dual interview between Star Dell’Era of The Elated Sob Story fame and me (as my music moniker Existential Hero). What’s even better is that it is a video interview. Exciting? You bet it is…

Oh and a new layout soon!

Mp3:
The Roots-"Birthday Girl"

Links:
Marc With A C on Myspace!
The Elated Sob Story on Myspace!
Existential Hero on Myspace!

Existential Hero's "New Zealand Trilogy" Is Available Now!

Spanning 7 months and three countries, the humorously dubbed "New Zealand Trilogy (The Storm Of The Century, The Great Sublime Melancholy! and Eating Grapes And Whale Bones)," is the newest, latest and greatest release from the human being known as Existential Hero. These albums have been carefully constructed to blow your mind.

Admittedly these albums are a bit self-indulgent, but it is fully appropriate.

I'm damn proud of these records and they run the gamut of styles, but contain only satires, flirtations with and deconstructions of the previous Existential Hero you thought knew. Don't worry, you won't remember the old records anymore after these three bad boys. For the first time instead of compromising between my actual abilities and my vision, these albums truly achieve the sounds I had in my head. If I had the budget these albums would come with footnotes and commentary.

The Storm Of The Century



Perhaps the least conceptual of the three, however it doesn't step down from the fight. It mostly focuses on frustration and all its manifestations: ranting, venting, worries, fears, gossip, primal scream, etc.

The artists that most directly influenced the album are Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Tom Waits, Neutral Milk Hotel and Patrick Ripoll.

The Storm Of The Century

The Great Sublime Melancholy!



This was the first album concept I had dreamed up and is the most atmospheric of the three. It is an environment to get subsumed in, emotions to contemplate and feelings to ponder. The past, the future and the present are open books and web pages.

The artists that most directly influenced the album are Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy album, Chris Zabriskie, The Jesus & Mary Chain and The Motifs.

The Great Sublime Melancholy!

Eating Grapes And Whale Bones



This one came out of nowhere and quickly dominated. Aggression and fierce motivation are represented here and the refusal to step down. Everyone has a chance to be great, this is that acceptance of that challenge.

The artists that most directly influenced the album are Lil Wayne, Tinyfolk, The Roots and Outkast.

Eating Grapes And Whale Bones

There are a slew of collaborators including:
Pocketful.
Mandie Russell
Tinyfolk
The Top Grossing Films Of 1984
The Elated Sob Story
Linguistic Banter
Your Yellow Dress

I'm so excited for all of you to listen and comment and turn these songs into your own. I can't wait to play them live for you. Thank you everyone for listening and especially those who have so so supportive the last 6 months.

Some last bit of housekeeping, if you are interested in ordering fancy handmade copies of any of these albums I will be able to start mailing them out in a few weeks. I am also in the process of ordering buttons and t-shirts but they most likely won't be available until August.

thank you again everyone, these albums are yours now.

Some Notes:

The individual tracks will be uploaded later tonight, now you can d/l the three albums as a .ZIP file.

The "thank you" section is different for all three albums.

to anyone I've sent "in progress" mp3s, you can delete em, these are the mastered proper versions. You can keep em if you are into collecting =P

Links:
Existential Hero's Myspace!
Existential Hero on CLLCT.com

Existential Hero Will Release The "New Zealand Trilogy" On July 15th

A bit of self-promotion for my music project Existential Hero:

Sorry I've been keeping you waiting, some of you know bits and pieces already but I am happy to announce that July 15th I will be releasing THREE ALBUMS humorously dubbed the "New Zealand Trilogy". They are called:

The Storm Of The Century
The Great Sublime Melancholy!
Eating Grapes And Whale Bones

I did not think I was going to make three albums but in light of everything that has been going on in my life in the last five months it was probably inevitable.

The Existential Hero you know from A Winter's Tale Told In Spring and before has greatly evolved into a new fiercer and weirder form, but I think these albums are the best thing I've ever done and all three are products of great devotion and concentration. Instead of a compromise between my actual abilities and my vision, these albums truly achieve the sounds I had in my head.

I'll say a few words about the three albums to "set the scene" if you will.

As a note, Luke Of Secret Owl Society drew the cover art for all three albums and they look simply jaw-dropping.

All three albums will be dedicated to the late Heath Ledger.

The Storm Of The Century


The least conceptual out of the three, it mostly focuses on frustration and all its manifestations: ranting, venting, gossip, primal scream, etc.

The artists that most directly influenced the album are Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Tom Waits, Neutral Milk Hotel and Patrick Ripoll.

Tracklist:
1. You're Always Late
2. Waiting For The View
3. She Aches, She Makes, But Will She Break?
4. Amateur Alcoholic
5. But Reaching's All We're Meant To Do
6. I Want To Be In A Relationship So I Can Be Anti-Social
7. Clear Clear Clear
8. The Two Most Important People In The World
9. Deep Conversations
10. Ginny O
11. Guilty Song
12. You're Still Always Late
13. Meet In Japan
14. The Storm Of The Century

Tease Mp3:
"Deep Conversations"

The Great Sublime Melancholy!


The most conceptual, it deals with quiet sadness, deep introspection and longing as normal states of being. An environment to get lost in, think atmosphere and small details.

The artists that most directly influenced the album are Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy album, Chris Zabriskie, The Jesus & Mary Chain and The Motifs.

Tracklist:
1. The Great Sublime Melancholy!
2. I Dream Of Antarctica
3. The Cherry Orchard
4. Goodbye Mr. Ledger
5. Piano Bashing
6. Until The Very Last Moment
7. Meant To Carry Me Along Intro
8. Meant To Carry Me Along
9. Static Waltz
10. Just Like Welly
11. Charlotte
12. A Skype Love Song
13. The Road Begins At The End Of The World
14. Slope Point

Tease Mp3:
"I Dream Of Antarctica"

Eating Grapes And Whale Bones


Certainly the most aggressive thing I've ever done, it is a refusal to stand still and a rejection of feigned modesty. It's about being great and taking the reigns of your life so no one else will. A recovery from disappointment and an energetic push forward into the future.

The artists that most directly influenced the album are Lil Wayne, Tinyfolk, The Roots and Outkast.

1. Arrested, Part 1
2. Arrested, Part 2
3. TV
4. Lyrical Sunday (Six Strings)
5. 48 Hour Competition
6. I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING
7. Do You Know What Film Theorists Are Like?
8. Underwater World
9. Fotography Girl
10. The Washer Ghost
11. Orientation
12. Narita International Airport
13. I'm Coming Home
14. Eating Grapes And Whale Bones

Tease Mp3:
"I'm Coming Home"

Think of the albums like this; there was a problem, I thought about it and then I made up my mind. The three albums represent these steps.

All three albums include a guest or two including Mandie Russell, Tinyfolk, The Top Grossing Films Of 1984 and more.

They are essentially done I'm just waiting for a few collaborators and I will be doing a bit of mastering when I return to the states.

They will be released for free on CLLCT of course, but I will be making some super fancy handmade copies for anyone who would like them.

In addition to these three albums, today I will be putting up an extended preview of the albums and my work in the last five months, Colin McKenzie's Dream: A Collection Of B-Sides. Demos, covers and b-sides, it'll be for all of you to get a taste of the "New Zealand Trilogy" and the processes I went through to create them.



Tracklist:
1. Sinking Ship
2. Worldwide Travelin' Blues
3. I Heart Josh & Rebecca (Demo)
4. Oh Inspiration, Thou Has Forsaken Me! (Demo)
5. We Are All Artists (Demo)
6. Ghosts Never Die And Neither Will You! (Demo)
7. Down To The River And Pray (Allison Krauss)
8. You're Always Late (Piano Version)
9. I Don't Care About Love (Piano Version)
10. She's Holding On (Piano Version)
11. Just Around The Riverbend ("Pocahontas"/Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz)
12. Jordan (Paul Baribeau)
13. Until The Very Last Moment (Demo)
14. I Want To Be In A Relationship So I Can Be Anti-Social (Demo)
15. The Two Most Important People In The World (Demo)
16. Sailing To Byzantium (W.B. Yeats)
17. The Motivation Song (Demo)
18. If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out (Tinyfolk/Cat Stevens)
19. The Great Sublime Melancholy! (Demo)
20. Do You Know What FIlm Theorists Are Like? (Demo)
21. Lyrical Sunday (Six Strings) (Feat. Deep Owls) (Single Version)

DOWNLOAD HERE

AND there's more.

I am in the process of ordering buttons and t-shirts! That's right, I know some of you have been dying to get some Existential Hero swag so here's your chance.

So I hope you guys are excited as I am I cannot wait for all of you to hear these albums composed of blood, tears and lots of chai tea.

Link:
Existential Hero on Myspace!

We Heart Arts & ACOSM Records Doing The Good Stuff

Is that Shelby Sifers hiding behind that sign?

We Heart Arts is a truly wonderful organization that every Lo-Fi musician or anyone who believes in the power of creativity should get behind. It is non-profit and seeks to raise money for kid’s creative arts programs across the globe. Here are their tenants:

i. Creative arts teaches young people the value of lifelong active personal expressionism
ii. Creative arts teaches young people to question the world they live in
iii. Creative arts teaches young people that thinking outside of the box is an important mental function in life
iv. Creative arts teaches young people to engage in a social network of proactive young people invested in a community built on meaningful, sustained ideas and expressionism
v. Creative arts open up a world of opportunities for young people to grow and help others through arts therapy
vi. Creative arts can open up an avenue of communication for children with learning difficulties
vii. Creative arts can help children process and work through traumatic experiences
viii. Creative arts can provide peer interaction and a sense of community, independence and feelings of control

I for one agree whole-heartedly with these and in today’s world it is a whole lot harder to express yourself freely in the public sphere and kids shouldn’t be ashamed of what they create and love to do.

So if you want to support We Heart Arts in some way now is your chance. Write about it, make posters and take photos, make videos talking about it and buy the digital splits featuring so far Shelby Sifers, Eyes For Volume, Secret Owl Society and Fire Island, AK!

Here your chance to use your creativity to make a difference, and not just awareness either, but the more people take part the more things get done. Go!

My video for We Heart Arts:




In conjunction with We Heart Arts, ACOSM Records is a label that ya'll are going to hear a lot about in the near future. Also started by Tony Cannings, he says this about ACOSM’s ideals; “Music is about passion, drive and the need to free you creatively from the monotony of everyday life. It's about being flag bearers of a new cultural revolution, about having a voice and knowing how to use it, sometimes the quietest of voices can make the loudest noise!”

With recent closures or hiatuses of labels like Pop Monster and Valiant Death, we need labels like ACOSM to take up the new mantle of supporting the unbridled creativity of the Lo-Fi world. Like I said, big things will be happening soon, just you wait. But for now check out the likes of Lauren Elle and Everyone Except Me who are already on ACOSM getting the whole thing started.

Mp3s:
Lauren Elle-“I Wish My Heart Was A Stone”
Everyone Except Me-“50,000 Screaming Adolescents Can't Be Wrong”

Links:
We Heart Arts on Myspace!
Buy The Digital Splits Here!
ACSOM Records
ACOSM Records on Myspace!
Lauren Elle on Myspace!
Everyone Except Me on Myspace!

21 Love Songs: The Magnetic Fields Tribute (2008)

It may not be fair to review this album since I’m on it, but James Eric has compiled a great collection of artists covering the hilarious and heartbreaking Magnetic Fields.

The covers here run the gamut from faithful to downright bizarre. Check out Tinyfolk’s take on “I Don’t Believe You,” I’m so strangely drawn to it, but every time I’m like “WTF is going here?” It sounds like a mice and robot orgy.

Fairmount Fair turn “Why I Cry” into an upbeat jungle romp ‘n’ stomp sing-along. The same goes for James Eric’s cover of “(Crazy For You) But Not That Crazy,” as he injects about ten billion watts of electricity into the original and lets go with wondrous results.

Now before you think that everyone here is taking a piss out of Stephin Merritt, its all in good fun and I think he might get a real kick out of this if, or when, he hears it.

There are some also really touching covers, my cover of “Plant White Roses,” for example. No, no really. But seriously, A Lime Tree’s homespun, front porch country cover of “You Me And The Moon,” is really sweet and banjolicious.

But my favorite cover on this album is Your Yellow Dress’s cover of “Absolutely Cuckoo.” This has become a full blown twee number, and you’ll totally fall in love with Carrie Muller’s voice. Her voice bounces just on the edge of the melody and keeps the song racing. Alex Poska ain’t no slouch either and the simple yet effective arrangement keeps it on constant repeat for me.

When James first started calling for admissions on this tribute I hadn’t even heard of The Magnetic Fields, but I was totally won over and consider myself one of the believers. I think everyone on this tribute, regardless of fandom, really pulled out the big guns and made a great album even if you haven’t heard of The Magnetic Fields either.

Mp3s:
Tinyfolk-"I Don't Believe You"
Your Yellow Dress-"Absolutely Cuckoo"

Links:
Download the whole album for FREE on CLLCT!
Buy a hard copy from James Eric
Tinyfolk on myspace
Your Yellow Dress
The Magnetic Fields on myspace

Existential Hero Releases Three New Albums

Since I'm moving to New Zealand and won't be sure what my musical output will be, as a gift to all of you I will be releasing a covers album, a covers EP and a collection of b-sides for all of you. You can order them all for 3 bucks each if you like the hard copies or you will be able to download them for free in a few days at



But without further ado here they are (with an mp3 to give you a taste!):




This is the real meat here, or seitan or tofu. Part self-indulgent and part love song to the lo-fi community I'm obsessed with, Barely
Covered is my ode to the songs and artists that inspire me.

"Dear Apollo (Tinyfolk cover)"




I was basically learning way too many Bob Dylan covers, but this EP is an homage to early
early Bob Dylan when he was an upstart folkie just barely coming to into his own.

"Corrina, Corrina (Bob Dylan cover)"




All songs recorded between May of 2006 and December 2007. Most are outtakes from the
first two albums, an uncompleted EP, former secret tracks, alternate versions and a
recent demo. Most of it's good and there is one or two you'll love because it's so bad
it's good. =D

"If I Was President (Classical Version)"

Links:
Existential Hero myspace to order hard copies

001Collective Is Where It's At!

“We dream of an age where artists don't create out of greed, but out of love; a golden age of the arts not seen by any time in history. Sales and promotion don't generate income, fans do. And artists who climb a human pyramid to live in luxury are finding that they have an ever dwindling number of fans to step over.”

This is a passage from the site’s Declaration of Independence. 001 Collective’s purpose is to build a community of artists and non-artists that share music and more. The music is free, but by using BitTorrents instead of straight downloading a community is developing.

When people started downloading music I was ardently against it because most people (in my mind) who downloaded music did not give back or contribute in any way. These songs became disposable objects and, “Who cares where they come from as long as I am entertained.” In many ways this belief still holds true, but by using BitTorrents and creating a forum and a blog, people can share their own music and music of people that the really love; everyone gives and takes for equal measure. They also have links to all the artists sites to buy the hardcopies if you still love the gift of handmade art and liner notes.

And there are so many good artists on here already; Tinyfolk, The Lonesome Architects, Existential Hero (sorry, had to plug!), Dustin and the Furniture, and more coming everyday!

I don’t believe mainstream music is dead or even close to dying, but the distribution methods are so outdated that it is too hard to connect with those artists releasing their cds at Best Buy.

Since I’ve joined the 001Collective I really now believe that this is the best future for musicians like myself and you folks out there.

Link:
001Collective: Your new family is waiting

Mp3s:
The Lonesome Architects-"Echolocation"
Tinyfolk-"Do Animals Get Lonely Late At Night?"
Existential Hero-"A Terrible Postmodern Experiment

Existential Hero: A Winter's Tale Told In Spring (2007)

Hey everyone out there in blog land, I feel terrible for neglecting this place like I’ve been lately but I have a good excuse. As some of you may know I am also a musician and operate under the name Existential Hero and I recently just finished my third album A Winter's Tale Told In Spring. I obsessed over it for months working on a solid collection of songs that function cohesively as a whole album. I think everyone will be surprised, there is much more focus, nuance and diversity this time around, but you can be sure it still doesn’t lack the sincerity and simplicity that some of you have come to love from my music. I’m only charging four bucks just to cover shipping a bit, believe me I’m not in this to make money, I really want everyone to hear what I have to say (In song form).

The cover was done by Evan Koehne:


Here is the tracklist:


And two tracks to tide you over!

Mp3:
Existential Hero-"A Winter's Tale Told In Spring"
Existential Hero-"Timothy Treadwell"

Links:
Existential Hero on myspace